A longtime Lebanon health center will soon open its doors with a new name: the WellSpan Dixon Foundation Health Center.
Originally the Lebanon Valley General Hospital and later named the Hyman S. Caplan Pavilion, following a significant gift from the Caplan family, the health center located at Fourth and Willow streets is set to welcome patients Feb. 19 following a $3.5 million renovation project.
Funded by a $2 million gift from the Francis J. Dixon Foundation, with additional support from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, the center will be operated by non-profit Family First Health, chosen as the primary care partner for the center by a 14-member community advisory group.
Although the name has changed, Hyman Caplan’s name will be remembered indefinitely with a memorial inside the building.
According to a WellSpan release, the 7,000 square-foot complex will include 12 exam rooms, managed by an initial staff of nine people, including a physician, a nurse practitioner, a behavior health specialist, health insurance enrollment specialists, and others. Bilingual staff members are expected to be among the initial hires.
The new center was introduced to the community at a ribbon cutting ceremony held Tuesday.
“The center will play an important role by helping local residents to stay healthy, a key component to a thriving Lebanon County,” said Frank Dixon, chairman emeritus of the Dixon Foundation, in a release from the event.
Dixon was joined at the ribbon cutting ceremony by other local officials including City of Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello, County Commissioner Bob Phillips, former president & CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital Bob Hoffman, and current president of WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital Tom Harlow.
WellSpan officials touted Family First Health’s 50-year history of helping patients address barriers to good healthcare. Family First Health will e partnering with other local health providers and social service agencies, with examples offered such as a referral of obstetric patients to Lebanon Family Health Services, where they will be treated in part by residents in the WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital Family Residency Program.
“We appreciate the warm welcome the Lebanon community has offered us,” said Family First Health president Jenny Englerth in a press release. “Together, we will work to help local residents achieve their best health.”
The building will continue to house other WellSpan services, including WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital’s rehabilitation unit, WellSpan Family Medicine, and WellSpan diabetes and nutrition counselors.
“WellSpan is excited to support this health center,” said Harlow in the release. “We look forward to continuing to partner with Family First Health in supporting the health of our community.”
Watch video of the ceremony below, thanks to ABC27.
Construction on the facility began in June 2019.
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