LVHN Cuts Ribbon to Open New Center for Healthcare Education in Center Valley

Featured Image: Cynthia Cappel (left holding scissors) and Robert Barraco, MD (right holding scissors), join LVHN colleagues and invited guests in cutting the ribbon for the health network’s new Center for Healthcare Education in Center Valley.

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Feb. 3, 2023) – Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) today cut the ribbon for its new Center for Healthcare Education located at 3900 Sierra Circle, Center Valley.

The Center for Healthcare Education becomes the home of LVHN’s Department of Education and serves as the central hub of education and training programs for the health network.

“This new building represents the legacy of exceptional clinical education at LVHN and will serve as a premier education and training facility for today’s and tomorrow’s caregivers,” says Brian A. Nester, DO, MBA, LVHN’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “LVHN is among the top health networks for preparing future generations of nurses, physicians and health care professionals, and we are proud to be one of Pennsylvania’s largest teaching hospitals.”

Nester says the LVHN Center for Healthcare Education is the place where clinicians will go to learn new skills and elevate their profession so they can deliver excellent care.

This state-of-the-art simulation lab will be used for medical training at LVHN’s new Center for Healthcare Education in Center Valley. Health network officials cut the ribbon Friday to open the new 70-square-foot center, which also features a training operating room, and increased classroom size and flexibility.

The facility will consolidate two Department of Education sites into one 70,000-square-foot location with dedicated space for education, administration and support services.

Michael Rossi, MD, LVHN’s Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer, says education remains in the forefront at LVHN, and this project further enhances a strong legacy of molding future generations of health care professionals. Rossi says education is the key to:

Attracting doctors and clinicians who are on the leading edge of medical advancements
Providing high-quality care and safe patient experiences
Growing LVHN’s medical education programs to attract the best and brightest candidates
Facilitating clinical experiences for students in health professions in the region, and
Onboarding and retaining clinical staff through continued opportunities for professional development

Robert Barraco, MD, LVHN’s Chief Academic Officer, says in addition to providing education like professional development and onboarding, undergraduate and graduate medical education, health care simulation and electronic medical record training, the facility allows for the co-creation of programs with education partners including area school districts, colleges and universities.

Barraco says LVHN’s Department of Education supports 1,200 medical, nursing and other students, and 340 residents and fellows. The department has provided 190,000 instructional hours of professional development and distributed over 1 million health sheets and 250,000 patient education resources.

“This new facility will add to or significantly improve many areas of the existing facilities LVHN uses for colleague and student education,” Barraco says.

Features include:

A new state-of-the-art simulation center
A full-size training operating room
All rooms will have plug-and-play capability for learners and ability to broadcast to other sites.
Increased classroom size and flexibility
A reception area, a dedicated food services area, a dining and event area, a 160-person auditorium, and large computer labs and storage areas

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) includes 13 hospital campuses, four in Allentown, two in Bethlehem, one in Easton, one in East Stroudsburg, one in Hazleton, two in Pottsville, one in Dickson City, and one in Lehighton, Pa.; 28 health centers; numerous primary and specialty care physician practices; 20 ExpressCARE locations including the area’s only Children’s ExpressCARE; pharmacy, imaging, home health, rehabilitation and lab services; and preferred provider services through Valley Preferred. Specialty care includes: trauma care for adults and children; burn care at the Regional Burn Center; kidney and pancreas transplants; perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, complex neurosurgery capabilities including national certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center; and robotic surgery in 10 specialties. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute, Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute and Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute physicians provide the most advanced treatments. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute is a member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance (MSK Cancer Alliance), an initiative that helps community providers improve the quality of cancer care and offers access to MSK clinical trials. Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the third largest children’s hospital in Pennsylvania, provides care in more than 30 specialties and general pediatrics. Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest is ranked as the region’s No. 1 hospital for nine straight years and has been recognized among Pennsylvania’s top 10 hospitals for nine consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, LVH–17th Street and LVH–Muhlenberg are the Lehigh Valley’s only Magnet® hospitals for nursing excellence. Additional information is available by visiting LVHN.org or following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Information & images provided to TVL by:
Brian Downs
Public Information Officer
Marketing and Public Affairs
Lehigh Valley Health Network
LVHN.org