Rural Setting

“Mental health is as important as physical health yet mental health resources are in dire need in many of our communities. The ability to embed psychiatrists throughout their training in the communities they will serve will generate the much-needed support for our rural region for years to come.

As a network, our mission is to bring healthcare to the communities we serve as we believe healthcare should be provided locally as much as possible. Miners is a great example of how we have operationalized that mission. As a nationally recognized IBM Watson Top 100 Hospital (#14 out of 834 small community hospitals), with a 5-star CMS rated Skilled Nursing Department, we have proven that small, rural community hospitals can provide high quality, cost effective care close to home while remaining fiscally sound. Miners Campus is a 49-bed acute care hospital with 3 operating rooms and a 25 bed Emergency Department. We were the first Level IV Trauma Center in the state of Pennsylvania. The Miners Campus is a Primary Stroke Center and Chest Pain accredited as well. We have 4 Rural Health Primary Care centers and the regions first Rural Health Dental Clinic. The Miners Campus is also home to the state’s first Rural Track Family Practice Residency Program and is establishing the Rural Psychiatry Residency. ”

– Wendy Lazo, President

“St. Luke’s Carbon is developing one of the most innovative rural health care networks in the country that we believe will achieve national recognition. We are incredibly excited about the opening of our new regional medical center this fall with 24/7 in house critical care and the latest in health care technology. The medical center is located on 108 acres of land in Franklin Township and will also include a fitness center, walking trails, healing gardens and a tech support center to help patients throughout the region with use of remote monitoring technology. Just as exciting is the future development of the existing campus in Lehighton as a regional behavioral health center of excellence including inpatient services for younger and older adults, partial hospitalization and outpatient programs, and a behavioral health walk in center that will be open seven days a week with extended hours, to serve as an alternative to the traditional hospital emergency department for those with urgent behavioral health needs. The St. Luke’s Carbon region also has over 40 family physicians at 16 sites throughout the county. The vision includes opportunities for integration of behavioral health and primary care both in practice and in our graduate medical education programs.”

– John Nespoli, President