Building on a Foundation of Culture and Trust: How Jefferson Health Reopened a Hospital Just 9 Days After a Fire
•February 17, 2026
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Why It Matters
The rapid rebound demonstrates how robust preparedness and community partnerships can minimize service disruption, preserving revenue and patient trust in acute‑care markets. It underscores the competitive advantage of resilient operations for health systems facing unpredictable crises.
Key Takeaways
- •Fire destroyed adjacent Orthopedic Institute building, hospital remained intact
- •Over 70 patients evacuated safely, zero fatalities
- •Hospital reopened to emergency care within nine days
- •Relocated practices resumed at nearby Jefferson sites by Feb 10
- •Community and staff coordination enabled rapid recovery and trust
Pulse Analysis
Healthcare facilities face low‑probability, high‑impact events that can cripple operations if not anticipated. Jefferson Health’s response to the Feb. 4 fire illustrates how embedding emergency protocols into everyday culture turns theory into decisive action. Staff members who routinely train with safety agencies instinctively organized patient evacuation, coordinated with fire crews, and even mobilized personnel from distant sites. This level of readiness, reinforced by clear communication channels and a shared commitment to patient‑first values, transformed a potentially catastrophic incident into a coordinated sprint, preserving lives while the building was secured.
The speed of the hospital’s reopening had immediate business implications. By passing the Pennsylvania Department of Health inspection within eight days, Jefferson avoided prolonged regulatory shutdowns that could have eroded revenue streams and market share. Restoring the emergency department and high‑volume surgical suites allowed the facility to treat roughly 250 patients in the first three days, re‑establishing cash flow and reinforcing community reliance on local acute care. Moreover, the rapid relocation of orthopedic, rheumatology and podiatry practices to nearby campuses minimized appointment cancellations, protecting outpatient earnings and patient satisfaction scores.
Jefferson’s experience offers a blueprint for other health systems seeking resilience. Investing in cross‑functional drills, maintaining redundant clinical spaces, and cultivating strong relationships with municipal emergency services create a safety net that can be activated instantly. Transparent communication with employees—guaranteeing pay and benefits during closures—further sustains morale and loyalty. As climate‑related events and infrastructure threats rise, hospitals that prioritize cultural preparedness and community partnership will not only survive disruptions but emerge with enhanced trust, positioning themselves competitively in an increasingly risk‑aware market.
Building on a foundation of culture and trust: How Jefferson Health reopened a hospital just 9 days after a fire
In healthcare, we prepare for emergencies, but nothing prepares you for the words I heard on the night of Feb. 4 – our facility was on fire: a devastating blaze was raging at the Jefferson Health campus of Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City, in Northeast Pennsylvania near Scranton.
On that frigid night, with temperatures below zero, more than 70 patients were safely evacuated through the heroic efforts of hospital colleagues, regional first responders, local fire departments, and countless others. All were transported to nearby hospitals or, in some cases, reunited with family to return home. We remain profoundly grateful that the swift actions of our team and community partners prevented any loss of life amid the dangerous, fast-evolving incident.
What I learned in the aftermath underscored the power of preparation and the vital role of relationships—with colleagues, patients, families, neighbors, emergency services, government officials, and local businesses. Only through those bonds were we able to restore hospital and practice services in days, not months.
Preparation Leads to Decisive Action
The fire ravaged the Orthopedic Institute medical office building adjacent to LVH–Dickson City. Thankfully, the hospital itself remained structurally sound, with only smoke and water damage. When I visited the site, cleanup and repairs were already underway to reopen it as quickly as possible. The office building, however, was a total loss, and our team immediately began relocating the displaced practices.
As anyone who has worked in a hospital knows, disaster preparation is ingrained in our culture; team members receive extensive training from safety and accrediting organizations. In conversations with on-site nurses, doctors, and staff that night, I heard how that training spurred immediate, decisive action. No one hesitated: Patients were prepped for evacuation, visitors pitched in, and first responders called for reinforcements. Among those who rushed to help was a nurse from LVH–Cedar Crest, more than an hour away. A volunteer firefighter in the Dickson City region, he received a page about the blaze just as his shift ended and drove directly to LVH–Dickson City to aid his hospital and firefighting colleagues.
Another hero was a nurse who gave an elderly patient her own coat to ward off the cold. Stories like these reveal that preparation runs deeper than protocols—it’s about doing the right thing, helping others feel warm, secure, and assured that we’re exhausting every option to keep them safe.
Restoring Services and Trust
With everyone safe and accounted for, our team turned to restoring services as swiftly as possible.
For the practices, a core group identified temporary space at other Jefferson Health/LVPG sites in the Dickson City and Scranton area to relocate our orthopedic, rheumatology, and podiatry services. By Saturday, Feb. 7, we announced that four practices would reopen on Feb. 10 at regional locations. Meanwhile, staff reached out to patients to confirm appointments, offer video visits where suitable, and ease disruptions.
Emergency services are a constant community need, so prioritizing the ER was essential—as were surgical services. Delaying hernia repairs or joint replacements was unacceptable, so our team worked around the clock to prepare for a Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) safety inspection on Feb. 12, just eight days after the fire. The PA DOH thoroughly reviewed all systems, facilities, and services before declaring the hospital safe to reopen. The first patients arrived Friday, Feb. 13, for emergency care and rescheduled surgeries. We cared for nearly 250 patients the first three days we were reopened, a testament to the demand for emergency and surgical care in this community.
Amid these efforts, we paused on Monday, Feb. 9, for two gatherings: a lunch to thank LVH–Dickson City and Orthopedic Institute colleagues for their patient-first commitment—and to assure them of full pay and benefits during the closure—and an evening dinner honoring first responders whose skill, expertise, and bravery ensured that only a building was lost, not a single life.
Eye to the Future
The first nine days after the fire at LVH–Dickson City were a true sprint. Supporters at every level worked around the clock to build momentum for what’s ahead.
Rebuilding will be a marathon, but I have full faith in my Jefferson colleagues. Their actions in those initial days embodied our core values—Put people first. Do what’s right. Pursue excellence—time and again.
Because of their commitment to these principles, I trust them deeply; they trust one another; and, in turn, the Dickson City community trusts us to stand by them and emerge stronger than before.
The post Building on a foundation of culture and trust: How Jefferson Health reopened a hospital just 9 days after a fire appeared first on Becker's Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.
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