In a step that will elevate healthcare access for residents in York County and the surrounding region, officials from WellSpan Health today held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the much-anticipated WellSpan Shrewsbury Hospital.

“At WellSpan our focus on increasing access to high-quality care for all the communities we serve has led us to reimagine how hospital-level care can be offered in a convenient way, meeting our patients where they are,” said Victoria Diamond, senior vice president of WellSpan Health’s Central Region. “This hospital, located just off Interstate 83, will bring essential medical services to a region currently underserved. That’s our commitment, as the leading healthcare provider in the area.”

The hospital at 13515 Wolfe Road in New Freedom, Pennsylvania, will include an emergency department as well as 10 inpatient beds in a smaller, more accessible footprint than traditional hospitals. WellSpan Shrewsbury Hospital will be conveniently located in a fast-growing part of southern York County, ensuring essential medical services are readily available no matter where an individual may live, work and play.

It will operate 24/7, 365 days a year and is projected to open in late 2025. It is the one of three new hospitals WellSpan is building over the next two years, including facilities in Carlisle and Newberry Township. The sites were chosen because of their extensive distance from current hospital services. The improved access to care and wide range of services streamlined in a smaller setting should greatly improve the patient experience. Small-format hospitals are able to see, treat and discharge patients in far less time, on average, than traditional larger hospitals, without a reduction in services or quality.

“Our patients have shared with us the importance of convenient care, and this hospital is a great example of us listening to that feedback and acting on it,” said Dr. David Vega, senior vice president and chief medical officer, WellSpan Health. “If they or a loved-one ever need hospital-based services quickly, they will have the peace of mind of knowing this option is right around the corner.”

In addition to inpatient and emergency care, WellSpan Shrewsbury Hospital will provide diagnostic capabilities including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), X-ray and laboratory services. The emergency department will treat common emergency care needs such as falls, injuries, burns and infections. All three of the new hospitals, including Shrewsbury, will be fully licensed and offer high-quality patient services, in alignment with the quality provided at other WellSpan locations.

For details on WellSpan’s other six acute care hospitals across South Central Pennsylvania, visit www.WellSpan.org/Hospital.