Lehigh Valley Health Network Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for LVH–Muhlenberg Emergency Room Expansion
The expansion will nearly double the size of the emergency room
Lehigh Valley, Pa. (June 4, 2025) On Wednesday, June 4, Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Muhlenberg’s emergency room (ER). The expansion will nearly double the size of the ER and enhance the trauma program at LVH–Muhlenberg. With 83 total emergency department beds on the first floor, two trauma bays and two resuscitation bays, the emergency department will be better equipped to provide specialized care in critical situations.
Key features of the new space include:
- A dedicated pediatric treatment area modeled after LVH–Hecktown Oaks
- Bariatric patient rooms to accommodate specialized care needs
- Expanded diagnostic capabilities, including new X-ray and CT scan rooms
- A café in the waiting area to improve patient and visitor experience
- A trauma recovery space with 26 beds, including a physical therapy gym
- A helipad for seamless emergency transport
“As our region continues to grow, so does the need for emergency services,” said Jim Miller, CRNA, President of Jefferson Health–Lehigh East Region. “This expansion is a direct response to increasing patient volume and the evolving demands of emergency medicine.”
LVH–Muhlenberg has a rich 60-year history of serving the community. The project builds upon the hospital’s designation as a Level II trauma center just four years ago.
“A larger, modernized emergency department means shorter wait times, improved patient flow and a more comfortable environment for those in need,” Keith Micucci, CRNP, MSN, Chief Operating Officer, LVH–Muhlenberg, explained.
The new space will incorporate state-of-the-art technology, streamlined treatment areas and an efficient patient flow system. This will allow LVH–Muhlenberg to remain at the forefront of emergency medicine.
The expansion is anticipated to be complete in fall 2026, and renovations to the existing space will be completed in spring 2027.
About Jefferson
Lehigh Valley Health Network is now proudly part of Jefferson Health. Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the Greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow’s professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.
Information provided to TVL by:
Priscilla Turbitt
