STROUDSBURG, Pa. — If a developer's plan is approved, a neighborhood hospital could be coming to the site of Hunter Pocono Peterbilt Trucks off Golden Slipper Road in Pocono Township.
"There is one core hospital in East Stroudsburg, and there is the St. Lukes Campus that was built in Bartonsville. In Pocono Township, we don't have any hospital presences," said Taylor Munoz, Pocono Township manager.
But soon enough, there could be; Lehigh Valley Health Network is planning on building a new facility.
Sketch plans, including cutting the property into two lots, were submitted to Pocono Township.
One for a one-story "Neighborhood Hospital" and the other for a three-story medical office.
In a statement to Newswatch 16, LVHN Public information officer Brian Downs says;
"The concept is for a state-licensed and federally accredited acute care hospital that provides more convenient and faster access to emergency and inpatient care for the neighborhood and community it serves."
The new hospital would sit less than two miles away, right down the street from St. Lukes Monroe campus.
People we spoke with say they could always use another hospital.
"I think it's a great idea. Everybody could always use a good general hospital to have in the area. I mean, it's closer to me, and I go to St.Lukes whenever I need bloodwork done. So the closer, the better," said Jesse Bradley of Jackson Township.
"My husband and I come from New York, and in New York, you have all the hospitals around, and you can get to the hospital in 5 minutes. So if we have a close hospital, it's going to be awesome," said Yngrid Genal from Jackson Township.
An employee at Hunter Pocono Peterbilt says they plan to move the dealership to Scranton.
Pocono Township officials say the plans are still in the preliminary stages and have a long way to go if approved.
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