Lehigh Valley Hospital

Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, Pennsylvania, is the largest hospital in the Lehigh Valley and the flagship hospital of the Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN).

Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network Overview

Founded as the Allentown Hospital in 1899, LVHHN is currently represented by three clinical campuses -- Cedar Crest Boulevard and 17th & Chew in Allentown, and Muhlenberg in Bethlehem. The network’s key clinical areas are cancer treatment, cardiovascular medicine, mental health, neurosciences, pediatrics, surgery services, trauma, women's health, perinatal care, kidney transplantation and burn treatment. LVHHN is a major clinical campus for Penn State University's College of Medicine at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

tatistics

LHVHN has 855 beds on its three campuses cite web|url=http://health.usnews.com/listings/hospital-directory/pennsylvania/lehigh_valley_hospital|title=USNews and World Report Hospitals Directory Lehigh Valley Hospital|accessdate=2008-08-01|publisher=U.S. News & World Report] cite web|url=http://health.usnews.com/listings/hospital-directory/pennsylvania/lehigh_valley_hosp-muhlenberg|title=USNews and World Report Hospitals Directory Lehigh Valley Hospital Muhlenburg|accessdate=2008-08-01|publisher=U.S. News & World Report] . In 2007 there were 50,070 admissions, 14,319 inpatient surgeries, 453,477 outpatient visits, 14,841 outpatient surgeries, 119,017 ER visits and 3,184 births in network hospitals .LVHHN operates the third largest heart surgery program in Pennsylvania with more than 1,200 open-heart procedures performed each year cite web|url=http://www.lvh.org/aboutus%7C102|title=Lehigh Valley Hospital - About Us: History|accessdate=2008-08-01] . Pennsylvania’s first Level I Trauma Center was at Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest and this trauma center remains the only Level I trauma center in the Lehigh Valley with additional qualifications in pediatric trauma . The LVHHN Cancer Center is the fourth largest in Pennsylvania and cares for more than 2,400 new patients each year .

Financials

In 2007 LVHHN’s operating revenue was $964 million with an operating margin of $96 million cite web|url=http://www.phc4.org/financial/InpatientReport.aspx?region=7&vol1year=2007&vol2year=2006|title=Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council Financial Analysis 2007|accessdate=2008-08-01] Approximately 2.5% of care was uncompensated care . LVHHN is the Lehigh Valley’s largest employer [ Lehigh Valley] .

Quality of Care

Lehigh Valley Hospital has achieved national recognition continuously since 1995 cite web|url=http://www.lvh.org/lvh/Your_LVH/LVH_News/Press_Releases%7C3937|title=LVHHN Press Release|accessdate=2008-08-01] as one of U.S.News & World Report’s Best Hospitals [cite web|url=http://health.usnews.com/sections/health/best-hospitals|title=U.S.News & World Report Best Hospitals|accessdate=2008-08-01] . Lehigh Valley Hospital has been ranked by U.S.News & World Report eight times for cardiac care and cardiac surgery. The hospital has received a total of 28 specialty category listings in the past five years, including heart care and heart surgery; hormonal disorders including diabetes; digestive disorders; orthopedics; urology, and ear, nose and throat care .

LHVHN hospitals are the only Lehigh Valley hospitals participating in the Leapfrog Group’s cite web|url=http://www.leapfroggroup.org/home|title=The Leapfrog Group|accessdate=2008-08-01] evaluation of health care safety, quality and customer value. Lehigh Valley Hospital is one of 39 hospitals nationwide to receive the 2007 Leapfrog Group Top Hospital award . All LHVHN hospitals meet Leapfrog standards for patient safety [cite web|url=http://www.leapfroggroup.org/cp?frmbmd=cp_listings&find_by=zip&zip=18105&radius=50&cols=oa|title=Leapfrog Hospitals within 50 miles of Allentown|accessdate=2008-08-01] . All LHVHN campuses are accredited by the Joint Commission [cite web|url=http://www.qualitycheck.org/qualityreport.aspx?hcoid=4880|title=Joint Commission Quality Report on Lehigh Valley Hospital|accessdate=2008-08-01] [cite web|url=http://www.qualitycheck.org/qualityreport.aspx?hcoid=6017|title=Joint Commission Quality Report on Lehigh Valley Hospital Muhlenburg|accessdate=2008-08-01] [ The Joint Commission] .

Community Service

The mission of LVHHN is to “…heal, comfort and care for the people of our community [cite web|url=http://www.lvh.org/aboutus%7C135|title=LVHHN Mission and Values|accessdate=2008-08-01] .” Measurable Enhancement of the Status of Health (MESH) is a collaborative initiative of LVHHN funded by the Dorothy Rider Pool Health Care Trust to facilitate community engagement, capacity building and social action [cite web|url=http://www.pooltrust.com/hct/default.html|title=The Dorothy Rider Pool HealthCare Trust|accessdate=2008-08-01] . MESH has partnered with more than 70 community agencies and organizations to deliver programs leading to the fluoridation of Allentown's water supply and other public health benefits. LVHHN publishes an annual “Report to Our Community” summarizing improvements to the health of the community that come from investments made by LVHHN [cite web|url=http://www.lvh.org/aboutus/Annual_Report_Archive/2007_Report_to_the_Community/2007_Report_to_Our_Community%7C3098|title=LVHHN 2007 Report to Our Community|accessdate=2008-08-01] .

Notes

External links

* [http://www.lvh.org Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network]