A recent ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the Aug. 1 opening of the new $80 million Geisinger Healthplex CenterPoint facility in Pittston, Pa.
The 124,000-square-foot outpatient specialty facility offers surgery and endoscopy; bone, muscle, and joint care; urologic services; eye care and eyewear; and physical and occupational therapy, as well as laboratory and diagnostics. ConvenientCare and orthopedic urgent care services are expected to open in the fall at the facility, Geisinger officials said in a July 28 statement.
“We’re outgrowing our footprint at our hospitals in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre,” Ron Beer, chief administrative officer for Geisinger’s northeast region, said during last week’s ribbon cutting. “Healthlplex CenterPoint makes better health easier for patients and members in two counties by providing care in an easy-to-reach location away from the bustling activity of our medical centers.”
Located at 1201 Oak St., Pittston, Pa., the healthplex sits near state Route 315, Interstate 81, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a site chosen for its proximity to patients in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.
According to market forecasts, the aging population of northeastern Pennsylvania will drive an increased need for the services provided at the new healthplex through 2030, Geisinger officials said.
The new facility also has additional space to expand programs and accommodate new care providers, and healthplex staff plan to offer more appointments and reduce wait times for patients to see specialists, the company said.
More than 150 jobs have been created at the healthplex, which opens up space at the existing Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger Community Medical Center to possibly expand acute care services.
New services being provided at the healthplex include same-day care for patients with emergent conditions like kidney stones; a wide range of sports medicine, as well as hand, foot, and ankle services; arthroscopic hip procedures; a subspecialty eye-care program that includes neuro-ophthalmology care, pediatric ophthalmology care, and LASIK surgery; as well as a diagnostics suite.
Previously a Walmart, the new healthplex also features a café, an atrium with outdoor green space and seating, facial recognition technology for easy check-in, abundant parking, and accessibility by public transportation.
“Residents and leaders in this community welcomed this project with open arms and will share in its positive impacts on health and the local economy,” Beer said. “Together, we succeeded in contributing to the vibrance of an area we all love. A space that once buzzed with commerce will now care for the community for years to come.”