FRANKLIN TWP., Pa. (WLVT) - Hospitals are more important than ever amid the pandemic, and folks in Carbon County may have to travel at least 30 minutes to get to one.
St. Luke's University Health Network is building a new, 80-bed acute care hospital near Lehighton. Specialty services will include trauma, cardiology, neurology and radiology.
The 150,000-square-foot facility will do more than provide emergency care and medical services to an underserved area, according to St. Luke's officials. It will also bring jobs and hopes of a more robust economy, says John Nespoli, president of St. Luke's Lehighton Campus.
"We now have over 1,100 people who live in the county working for us," he said during a briefing on progress. "And we estimate the economic impact to the county at over $300 million. As we carry out our plans for growth we believe that could potentially double over the next couple of years."