State health officials will be working with Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City management on getting the fire-damaged facility ready to reopen but so far no date has been announced for that to happen.
The hospital system said it will share a timeline update as soon as possible.
Engineers confirmed that the hospital building remains structurally sound, hospital officials said in a statement released Saturday, "with significant damage contained to the Medical Office Building."
In the meanwhile the hospital's staff continue to get paid, officials say, and they have set up an FAQ page on the hospital website for patients with questions about care.
There has been no word yet on a potential cause. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for the state police fire marshal's office were not immediately successful.
Flames tore through the hospital's orthopedics wing late Wednesday night. No injuries were reported, but 77 patients — six of whom were in intensive care — were evacuated.
Information for patients
The Dickson City location will not be accepting patients during the closure, and Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, urges patients to call 911 or go to an emergency room in the case of a medical emergency.
The hospital's FAQ page gives patients guidance on issues including rescheduling appointments, picking up prescriptions, how to access lab services and where to go for orthopedic care.
Items misplaced or lost during the fire have been gathered and arrangements are being made to get them back to patients.
“The ongoing work of reaching out to hundreds of patients is a significant and sustained effort — one our teams are approaching with urgency and compassion. We continue to focus on minimizing disruption and ensuring patients receive the care they need without delay,” Jefferson Health President Baligh R. Yehia said in a statement Saturday.
Provisions for staff members
More than 500 people work at the Dickson City hospital, and employees will continue to be paid while the hospital is closed. Jefferson said it provided “well-being support” for relief and assistance as teams continue to care for the community.
“Our focus is firmly on the future: restoring emergency services as quickly and safely as possible, supporting our patients so they can continue to access high-quality specialty care they depend on, and ensuring our colleagues have the resources they need during this challenging time," Jefferson CEO Joseph G. Cacchione said.
The state's role
The state's approval will be required before the hospital can reopen.
“Following an incident like the fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) helps ensure that the hospital is safe for patients upon re-opening,” a department spokesperson said in a statement.
“Through ongoing communication and safety inspections, DOH works with the hospital to ensure it meets all applicable regulations to successfully reopen. The hospital will need to demonstrate that it is ready to provide safe and effective care for patients when the Department conducts the safety inspection,” the statement added.
