Geisinger officially breaks ground on Danville hospital expansion and modernization project

DANVILLE, Pa. - Community members and local elected leaders joined Geisinger officials Tuesday for a groundbreaking ceremony to formally launch a historic expansion and modernization project at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

The $880 million project aims to improve the patient experience by bringing more accessible care services to the community and shortening wait times as it modernizes the hospital campus, notably the emergency department. Site preparations in front of the hospital are already underway and foundation work is planning to start this summer.

"This is a transformative project that continues Abigail Geisinger's legacy of bringing the best care to our neighbors across the region," said Terry Gilliland, M.D., Geisinger's president and CEO. "The community deserves and expects to have timely access to specialty care; this project allows us to build on our commitment of doing just that, now and into the future."

The centerpiece of the expansion is the construction of an 11-story tower near the front of the hospital. The tower will feature a new, larger emergency room that will double the square footage of the current space and increase the number of beds from 45 to 60. Additionally, the project will transition the hospital to 100% private rooms for adult medical-surgical units to give patients and their families the privacy they want and deserve.

Updated modern operating suites and intensive care units will also be part of the tower project.

"Geisinger is a special place in this region because we don't just care for patients - we also care for generations of families," said Michael Fitzpatrick, M.D., chief medical officer of Geisinger's central region. "This project will improve the hospital experience for our patients and staff, and make sure we can care for our community's needs, for today and future generations."

In addition to the project's clinical improvements, the construction of a new, multi-level parking garage adjacent to the new tower will provide more convenient access for visitors.
The Danville campus recently completed a road project that built a more efficient traffic pattern in front of the hospital and made room for the construction project.

"We're excited for the start of this important project, which gives our dedicated staff a modern hospital to continue caring for our neighbors," said Megan Brosious, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Geisinger. "At a time when many rural communities are losing access to health care services, we're committed to investing in the health of our community. Our neighbors have the benefit of receiving a level of care close to home in the kind of facility they would otherwise have to travel to cities like Philadelphia or New York to find."

This project complements the services Geisinger provides throughout the region, including at Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital and Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital.

Visitors and staff should be aware of their surroundings and additional traffic on campus throughout the entirety of the construction project over the next few years.

Anyone traveling to the hospital should allow extra time in case of delays due to construction. The tower is expected to be complete and open to patients by 2029.