WellSpan Health broke ground yesterday on the second of three mini hospitals it is opening in Cumberland and York counties.
The latest small-format medical center is going up at 1201 Walnut Bottom Road in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County — expanding WellSpan’s reach in one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania.
Dubbed WellSpan Carlisle Hospital, the 20,000 square-foot facility is part of a planned two-building medical campus.
The second building, spanning 35,000 square feet, will house primary and specialty medical practices, as well as an ambulatory surgery center.
WellSpan paid $7 million for the land, according to county deed records. It is the site of a former CenturyLink office building.
What’s a mini hospital: An acute-care hospital that is much smaller — and designed to be more accessible and efficient — than a traditional full-service hospital.
WellSpan’s Carlisle-area version, slated to open in late 2025, will feature 10 inpatient beds and an emergency department — and it will stay open around the clock.
WellSpan broke ground earlier this year on a mini hospital off Interstate 83 in Hopewell Township, near Shrewsbury in southern York County.
The health system is planning to build a third in Newberry Township, which is in northern York County.
WellSpan is partnering on the projects with Texas-based Emerus, which will staff and operate the hospital under the WellSpan brand.
Emerus has similar arrangements with other health systems, including Allegheny Health Network in the Pittsburgh area.
The neighbors: Carlisle County’s healthcare market is dominated by UPMC and Penn State Health, though WellSpan has had a presence there.
UPMC operates hospitals in the Carlisle and West Shore areas.
Penn State Health operates Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center, which opened in 2021 in Hampden Township, and Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center in East Pennsboro Township.
The attraction of Cumberland County is not just a growing population, but a growing population of people over 65, who are more likely to need medical care.
In central Cumberland County, the 65-plus population is expected to grow 16% by 2027, compared to 4.3% for the population as a whole, according to WellSpan.
In a press release, the health system cited market research indicating that, within the next five years, central and western Cumberland County could experience a shortage of providers and physicians in several specialties, including primary care, surgical care and diagnostic testing.
What’s next: In addition to opening the new hospital and medical campus in South Middleton, WellSpan plans to move some of its existing Cumberland County operations.
WellSpan Internal Medicine – Wilson Street and WellSpan Family Medicine – Carlisle are both expected to move to the Walnut Bottom Road campus.
The internal medicine practice is currently at 220 Wilson St. in Carlisle, while the family medicine office is at 354 Alexander Spring Road in South Middleton.
