UPMC upbeat on Outpatient Emergency Care in Lock Haven

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Officials with UPMC were upbeat Wednesday in discussing recent changes at UPMC Lock Haven, changes which included the end of acute care hospital status for the Lock Haven campus and upgraded status for its emergency care services.. Ron Reynolds, president, UPMC Lock Haven and Muncy and Jeffrey Muenzer, MD, medical director, emergency medicine, UPMC Lock Haven and UPMC Williamsport, answered phoned-in questions as part of a “Tele-Town Hall.”

Reynolds, in opening comments, said the Lock Haven campus has “successfully transitioned” from its former hospital status and is “performing extraordinarily well.” He made a point to emphasize UPMC’s commitment to the Lock Haven community and said community support “is critical.”

The local UPMC president said 90 percent of those who had been part of discontinued services at the Lock Haven facility have been absorbed within the system, including promotions for some of them.

Reynolds said UPMC continues to work with EMS programs in the area and said statistics show 15 percent of emergency room users don’t require hospitalization. For those that do, he said UPMC has “prioritized beds” at UPMC Williamsport for Lock Haven ER users and noted it is a 30-minute trip there. He said the UPMC emphasis will continue to be to “get our patients to the right place at the right time.”

Dr. Muenzer spoke of the UPMC partnership with EMS operators and called their services “a valuable head start in treatment.” He said UPMC is committed to its Lock Haven Outpatient Emergency Care and cited the importance of close by emergency care as “we don’t want people to have to travel in an emergency,”