Behind the List with Donald C. Seiple Jr. of St. Luke’s University Health Network
‘Positive and productive relationships’
By Christopher Holland, March 28, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Lehigh Valley Business Journal
Health care continues to be a fast-growing industry in the region and beyond, and one Lehigh Valley organization is expanding its hospital services into the Poconos.
St. Luke’s University Health Network, which has six hospitals among many of its Greater Lehigh Valley locations, broke ground last year on an $80 million hospital on Route 611 in Bartonsville, Monroe County. Recently, the health network appointed a president of the new hospital that is slated to open this fall.
Here to answer this week’s “Behind the List” questions is Donald C. Seiple Jr., president of St. Luke’s Monroe Campus.
For a photo gallery of the hospital construction, click here.
Lehigh Valley Business: You’ve recently been named president of St. Luke’s Monroe campus, the network’s seventh hospital, in Bartonsville. How long have you been with the organization and what led you to this position?
Donald C. Seiple Jr.: I joined St. Luke’s in 2000 as a biomedical equipment technician. I was hired to establish an in-house nuclear medicine service program.
Since then, I have worn a number of hats.
In 2007, I was named network director of clinical engineering to develop equipment standards and to improve safety. I also negotiated and administered clinical service contracts valued at $4.2 million, managed the evaluation and selection of all medical equipment in the network, developed policies and procedures to ensure compliance with various regulatory agencies and developed staff to eliminate the reliance on contract services.
Since 2010, I have been vice president of operations, which means I manage or have managed, clinical engineering, plant operations, safety and security, nutrition services, environmental services, volunteer services, property management, sterile processing, grounds and the nephrology service line, which includes inpatient and outpatient dialysis and the network’s nephrology practice.
LVB: The Monroe hospital is expected to open this fall. What primary services will be provided at this location, and how many employees does it expect to have?
Seiple: The first new hospital in Monroe County in 100 years will provide easy access to outstanding physicians and advanced practitioners, nationally recognized health care and superb customer service. St. Luke’s already employs more than 40 physicians and advanced practitioners in Monroe County, and at least 250 workers have been involved in the hospital’s construction.
Before the hospital opens, though, we plan to add more than 350 new, permanent, well-paid jobs to the Monroe County economy.
As far as services go, the campus, which will mirror the look and feel of St. Luke’s Anderson Campus on Route 33 in Bethlehem Township, will offer a full-service emergency room with 33 exam and treatment rooms.
Additionally, St. Luke’s Monroe will ultimately offer four full-service operating rooms for inpatient and outpatient general surgeries as well as orthopedic, urologic and gynecological surgeries.
Our new hospital will include 72 inpatient beds when it opens, and there will be room to expand. It also will have a full radiology and imaging suite capable of MRI, CAT scan, nuclear medicine scans, ultrasound, interventional radiology and X-ray.
LVB: Monroe County has a long-established hospital, Pocono Medical Center, that this year is expected to merge with Lehigh Valley Health Network. Why did St. Luke’s decide to build a hospital in the county?
Seiple: St. Luke’s has established relationships with providers in Monroe County for more than 20 years. Those providers came to us and asked us to build a hospital in Monroe County for the patients they serve.
So our presence in Monroe County is born out of our providers’ needs over the last 20-plus years. We have a significant base of loyal patients, and it’s time to provide them with inpatient care in their community.
The presence of two community hospitals means better health care for the community. Pocono Medical Center has done a good job here over the last 100 years. Having two health care providers will make both of us better.
LVB: How will having a new hospital in Monroe County directly stimulate the local economy?
Seiple: Any new business that brings 350 good jobs will stimulate the local economy. And we are offering good jobs that come with good benefits.
These are jobs that people stay with, and they will help to both keep people in the community who might have otherwise left, and they will attract residents who will continue to add to the tax base.
Also, where our new hospital is located along Route 611, there are restaurants and hotels that by default will get business from St. Luke’s presence, so there’s another economic boost.
Beyond that, other businesses that will benefit include local vendors that provide services such as snow-plowing, lawn care and trash removal.
LVB: Being at the helm of a new hospital, what are some of your expectations and goals for its first several years?
Seiple: First and foremost, our biggest goal is to continue to gain the trust and respect of the community through the quality services we provide. We are known for building positive and productive relationships within the community, with businesses and legislators.
We are here because of the phenomenal growth in the number of patients we serve. It is a patient base we expect to continue to grow as we bring high-quality inpatient care to Monroe County.
Also, look for us over time to expand the base of services we offer. Those plans will unfold in the near future.
