A Decade of Growth
St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital expands to meet the community’s needs.
By Brenda Lange
Today, St. Luke’s Quakertown offers new state-of-the-art technological services and two new outpatient facilities in addition to its always-outstanding customer service to make it the fastest growing hospital in the seven county region of Philadelphia, its suburbs and the Lehigh Valley.
The hospital as a whole in the mid 1990s was the epitome of a small-town medical center. But since St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network acquired the former Quakertown Community Hospital in 1995, more than $60 million has gone into upgrades, addition of patient services and overall expansion.
When Ann Trump, RN, took over the reins as Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital in 1997, the facility was on the verge of an unprecedented growth spurt.
“Now our E.D. has new triage rooms, 11 beds and a larger staff,” says Trump. “But even though we’re growing, there is no sacrifice of patient care. Our staff is all on board with the same message: We’re growing in numbers, and we still give the best quality care.”
More than17,000 patients have been treated annually since the E.D. renovation and expansion in 2004, with continued capacity for additional growth. Wireless telemetry equipment allows for electronic monitoring of vital signs at each treatment station, while special rooms were added for cardiac/trauma; isolation for those with communicable diseases; and a decontamination shower for patients exposed to hazardous materials.
In addition, St. Luke’s Quakertown has been recognized as an Accredited Chest Pain Center, something achieved by fewer than 3 percent of all hospitals this size.
Big-city services with small-town appeal
As part of the nationally recognized St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network, patients at St. Luke’s Quakertown benefit from access to more than 270 physicians representing more than 45 specialties including orthopedics, women’s health, surgical oncology, thoracic, vascular and plastic surgery.
Two outpatient centers were added to the hospital’s repertoire last year: St. Luke’s Bone and Joint Institute and St. Luke’s Upper Perkiomen Outpatient Center. The Bone and Joint Institute is a new 22,000 square-foot center with specialists dedicated to treating conditions of the bones, muscles, joints and neurological systems.
The center in Upper Perkiomen provides additional clinical services to the area through laboratory testing, physical therapy, radiology, primary and specialized care. This facility retains the region’s unique charm within a 22,000 square-foot building built to replicate the beautiful historic barn on the old Marshall’s property in the valley.
As fate would have it, respected artist, Bradley Hendershot, who was commissioned by the hospital to paint the barn to preserve it for posterity, developed severe, chronic back pain. After being told by his neurosurgeon that he would require the disk to be surgically fused, he decided to look for another option. He soon found Dr. Scott Loev, a pain management specialist at St. Luke’s Bone and Joint Institute. Dr. Loev gave him injections that alleviated the pain and sidestepped the need for surgery.
“The professionalism demonstrated by everyone I came in contact with (at St. Luke’s) was phenomenal,” Hendershot says. He was able to complete the painting in time for the dedication of St. Luke’s Upper Perkiomen Outpatient Center, where it now hangs.
Growing for ten years
St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital has made other impressive strides since 2000.
St. Luke’s Professional Center, offering the Quakertown-area community the convenience of medical office suites on the hospital’s campus was the first improvement made in 2000, followed by the E.D. work in 2004.
In 2005, the facility added the Women’s Imaging Center offering a comfortable and private setting for screening mammography, ultrasonography and bone density screenings. The same year, the hospital added all-digital imaging systems as part of its radiological expansion, allowing for faster, more comprehensive exams, which yield faster results.
The Regional Breast Center, which provides the best digital imaging available to provide diagnostic mammograms or higher-level breast imaging, was added in 2008. The center’s services include specially trained nurses and radiologists who perform ultrasound-guided core biopsies and cyst aspiration, same-day breast ultrasounds and other critical tests.
The medical/surgical and ICU units have seen the renovation of 28 patient rooms where new flooring, windows and special furniture provide comfort and an improved healing environment.
Since Upper Bucks and Upper Montgomery counties are among the fastest growing in the state, it makes sense that the hospital expand so it can continue to offer its constituents the highest quality care possible.
“The success of St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital could not be possible with out the dedication of our caring employees. We pride ourselves on long tenure and low turnover. Our staff and physicians are the foundation on which our hospital is built and their knowledge and experience are true assets to the community,” says Ed Nawrocki, the hospital’s president.
St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital is located at 1021 Park Ave in Quakertown, PA. For more information, call 1-866-STLUKES or visit www.slhn.org.
Brenda Lange is a professional writer and editor in Bucks County (www.brendalange.com).
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