Geisinger officials are scrapping plans to build a $180 million orthopaedic center in Columbia County in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the health system announced.
Sixteen months ago, the health system announced the new location would be completed in 2024, The Daily Item reports. It was billed as the health system’s “largest facilities investment for 2021,” when it was announced in November 2021.
In a statement hospital officials said analysis of COVID’s impact on operations dictated the change.
“A standalone orthopaedics facility was always viewed as an enabling project to free up space at Geisinger Medical Center for more private rooms and other much-needed improvements on the campus,” a statement from officials said. “As our orthopaedics teams were forced to explore new and innovative ways to deliver care during the COVID-19 pandemic, it resulted in many procedures that once required post-surgery hospitalization now being performed in outpatient or lower acuity settings with better outcomes.” Read more.
