AHN Wexford Hospital set to open

The new Allegheny Health Network Wexford Hospital is ready to open, pending state licensing.

AHN, Highmark Health and local elected officials held a ribbon-cutting Friday morning at the Pine Township hospital, which is located on the same campus as the AHN Wexford Health + Wellness Pavilion.

“My family lives in this neighborhood and we’re very excited about having the capabilities here,” David Holmberg, Highmark Health president and CEO, said during the event. “We have the most advanced technological facility in the country in terms of the clinical capabilities and how our patients will be served and taken care of.”

Construction on the 160-bed hospital began in 2018, as part of AHN’s nearly $1 billion expansion that includes renovations of existing facilities, five new regional cancer centers, multiple outpatient centers and four new neighborhood hospitals in the region.

The McCandless Neighborhood Hospital opened in December 2019, Hempfield Neighborhood Hospital opened in January 2020, Brentwood Neighborhood Hospital opened in March 2020 and Harmar Neighborhood Hospital opened in September 2020.

The Wexford hospital will have 750 employees and boasts a 24-bed emergency department, adult intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, the only labor and delivery unit in northern Allegheny County, cardiac catheterization lab, advanced diagnostic imaging and more. It will also offer specialty care in cancer, neurology, cardiology, radiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics and other disciplines.

”We are very intent on continuing to move care into the community where it belongs. We don’t want patients to travel if they don’t need to or have to,” said Cynthia Hundorfean, AHN president and CEO.

The 39th Austin’s Playroom, a project of the Mario Lemieux Foundation, is located just outside of the labor and delivery unit. Another Mario Lemieux Foundation amenity, the Healing Terrace, is located on the third level of the hospital and is an outdoor greenspace where patients and families can go for fresh air and respite.

AHN Wexford president Allan Klapper touted the facility’s layout, which was designed to be easy to navigate.

“AHN Wexford was uniquely designed from the ground up by the very health care professionals who will work within its walls or who will partner with us in the community to provide exceptional care for the people who need us,” Klapper said.

For Pine Township chairman of the board of supervisors Michael Denny, it was the ease of the construction process from start to finish that impressed him.

”There wasn’t a hitch anywhere, and that’s odd,” he said. “We’re certainly happy and pleased.”

AHN officials anticipate that the licensing will come through in the coming weeks.