Orthopedics Back on Track Three Days After Devastating Dickson City Fire

Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute, part of Jefferson Health, located next to Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Dickson City, would have been standing 20 years as of March 2026. That is, until a fire raged through its structure on the night of Feb. 4, taking away what staff have called “a second home.” 

Some staff members have a history going back to the original practice established 34 years ago. While they are feeling the devastating loss, they are thankful no one was injured in the fire. And amazingly, because of an extraordinary, collaborative effort, Orthopedic Institute clinicians were seeing patients just three days later. 

Those working at the Orthopedic Institute called the loss “heartbreaking,” including Katie Paone,
Practice Manager with LVPG Orthopedics and Sports Medicine–Dickson City, who manages orthopedics and podiatry and oversees rheumatology. “The sudden loss meant so much for so many colleagues,” she says. “It wasn’t just a building; it represented safety, routine, teamwork and community.” 

Paone was one of the colleagues who engaged in a leadership call the night of the fire with other staff members and hospital and Lehigh Valley Health Network leaders. Once it was confirmed that everyone had been safely evacuated from the hospital, the focus became care and communication. 

LVPG Orthopedics and Sports Medicine–Dickson City was one of orthopedics’ busiest offices, with 75-100 staff members seeing an average of 300-400 patients a day. That night, leaders crafted a message to staff asking for patience and calm, so they could gather information and plan next steps. The next day was filled with discussions on how to serve the community without a building, and how to communicate the changes to the public. 

The health network’s orthopedics department set up a task force to tackle the immense job of reorganizing Dickson City services and its roster of patients. Campus leaders came together to take on certain tasks including supply chain, template builds and technology needs. They also did patient outreach, offering patients the option to have surgery at another LVHN facility while LVH–Dickson City remained closed to repair smoke and water damage. 

A big job was contacting LVPG offices in the area to find relocation space. “LVPG practices at Carbondale, Dunmore, Morgan Highway, Pittston and Steamtown opened their doors,” says Paone, whose team helped reorient colleagues with workspaces, workflows and even parking. “[The practices that stepped up] were a huge reason why we were able to start seeing patients in just three days.” 

Patients and clinicians were dispersed across Pittston, Morgan Highway, Dunmore, Carbondale and Steamtown, requiring staff to work between five offices while managing technology, clerical workflows and the added logistics of patients traveling farther for care. “The staff adapted quickly, supported one another and stayed focused on patient care despite the emotional toll,” Paone says.

For surgeries, some patients were directed to LVH–Hazleton and LVH–Pocono. The staff made sure patients knew where their procedures were scheduled. LVH–Dickson City reopened nine days after the fire, through cooperation between contractors, city officials and health network leaders, and after a thorough inspection by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. 

Paone attributes the fast reorganization of the practice and its services to the way in which everyone came together, and especially how the leaders assisted. “They stood with us,” she says. “They did everything they could to make sure our patients were taken care of.”

For Paone, the experience was life-changing. 

“I used to think of my role as operational – managing spaces and schedules. But the fire made it personal,” she says. “I saw how deeply it affected the staff and the patients when their sense of safety and routine was taken away. It showed me how important decisiveness, a calm presence and communication are and gave me deep respect for the resilience of our staff. I have a renewed commitment to leading in a way that puts people first.”

Call 570-307-1767 for an appointment at any of the five regional LVPG Orthopedics and Sports Medicine locations.

LVH–Dickson City is fully reopened with all services available.