The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Lancaster General Health Announce Partnership

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Lancaster General Health (LG Health) announced today a new partnership that will enhance general pediatric care and support emergency pediatric care for families in the Lancaster County area.

Under the agreement, beginning July 1, CHOP will provide inpatient pediatric care to the 19-bed pediatric unit at Lancaster General Hospital and pediatric support to its Emergency Department. CHOP Cardiologists will be providing services in both the inpatient and outpatient area.

The agreement also calls for ongoing discussions with the intent to add additional CHOP services in the future, including: CHOP services in the 29-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at LG Health’s Women & Babies Hospital; and CHOP support in additional outpatient pediatric specialties including gastroenterology, endocrinology, neurology and pulmonology. Strengthening pediatric urgent care services will also be explored.

“Our agreement with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is consistent with our commitment to improving care and increasing access to superior services and CHOP’s philosophy of providing world-class pediatric care closer to the patient’s home,” said Thomas E. Beeman, President & CEO of Lancaster General Health.

“CHOP is honored to join with Lancaster General Health, the most trusted and preferred healthcare provider in the Lancaster County area, to deliver clinical services for children and families in this area,” said Steven M. Altschuler, chief executive officer of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “We look forward to building a deep and well-rooted pediatric program and know that our shared commitment to medical excellence will ensure that pediatric care delivered to families in this area will be second to none.”

LG Health’s partnership with CHOP replaces a prior agreement with Penn State Hershey Medical Center system and Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, which expires July 1, to provide inpatient hospitalist services.

“Earlier this year, LG Health collaborated with local pediatricians and family-medicine physicians who provide the primary care to children in the selection of a partner,” said Beeman. “Together, the selection effort identified our community’s current and future pediatric needs, and the provider with the best available specialties, programs and expertise."

The partnership will support joint efforts between LG Health and CHOP to develop, support and grow a high-quality pediatric program that serves the needs of Lancaster County families for years into the future. Additionally, it has the potential to enhance access to a broad spectrum of pediatric programs and services thereby improving patient convenience, continuity and quality of care, Altschuler said.

LG Health will provide families access to a world-renowned provider for pediatric emergencies. For those situations requiring more intensive treatment, the agreement ensures that pediatric patients will have direct access to CHOP’s Main Hospital in Philadelphia.

CHOP operates independently of Penn Medicine. Its physicians are pediatric faculty members of The Perelman School of Medicine at The University of Pennsylvania.

About The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation’s first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children’s Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program receives the highest amount of National Institutes of Health funding among all U.S. children’s hospitals. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 546-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents.

About Lancaster General Health

Lancaster General Health (LG Health) is a three-hospital not-for-profit health system recognized regionally and nationally for clinical excellence and patient safety. Members of the LG Health system include the 533-bed Lancaster General Hospital (LGH), the 98-bed Women & Babies Hospital, and the 59-bed Lancaster Rehabilitation Hospital. More than 100,000 people are enrolled in MyLGHealth, the system's electronic medical record and patient portal. Outpatient services are provided at 14 outpatient centers, including Downtown and Suburban Outpatient Pavilions, three Urgent Care sites and an LG Health Express location. Lancaster General Health Physicians includes more than 300 primary-care and specialist physicians at more than 40 practices throughout the region. Read more at www.LGHealth.org.