YORK, Pa. — WellSpan Health has celebrated key construction milestones on three new neighborhood hospitals that will strengthen access to local care in communities across central Pennsylvania.

At a recent beam-raising ceremony, leaders, staff, and local officials marked the installation of the final vertical steel beams for WellSpan Carlisle Hospital, WellSpan Newberry Hospital, and WellSpan Shrewsbury Hospital — all designed to bring high-quality medical care closer to home for thousands of Pennsylvanians.

Each new hospital will include a 24/7 emergency department, 10 inpatient beds, and on-site diagnostic imaging and lab services, ensuring residents have more immediate access to urgent care without having to drive far.

In a statement announcing the milestone, WellSpan Health underscored its commitment to investing in local communities through neighborhood hospitals that are smaller in scale but designed to deliver the same trusted quality of care that larger regional hospitals provide.

When completed, the three sites will serve some of the region’s fastest-growing areas, helping to ease pressure on larger facilities while reducing wait times for emergency treatment and routine diagnostics.

WellSpan’s leadership says the new hospitals are part of a broader strategy to bring healthcare closer to where people live and work, addressing both access and convenience.

The new WellSpan Carlisle Hospital will help meet the rising demand for services in Cumberland County, while WellSpan Newberry Hospital will expand care options for patients in York County’s growing northern region. WellSpan Shrewsbury Hospital, meanwhile, will serve communities along the busy I-83 corridor near the Maryland border.

The neighborhood hospital model also supports local job creation, from construction crews to future medical and administrative staff. Once operational, each hospital is expected to add dozens of full-time healthcare jobs to its community.

WellSpan officials say the next steps include interior work and installation of medical equipment, with each facility targeted for opening in late 2026 to early 2027, pending final inspections and regulatory approvals.

As the projects move forward, WellSpan says it will keep patients and residents updated on progress and opening timelines.

For more information about WellSpan Health and its growing network of neighborhood hospitals, visit the system’s official website.

Originally reported by Robert McCune in Health Care Design Magazine.