HNL Lab Opens in Steamtown Mall, Boosting Scranton Healthcare Access

SCRANTON, PA – February 11, 2026 – HNL Lab Medicine is set to enhance healthcare accessibility in Lackawanna County with the opening of a new Patient Service Center inside The Marketplace at Steamtown. The new facility, located at 300 Lackawanna Ave., will officially begin welcoming patients on February 16, bringing walk-in diagnostic services to a bustling downtown hub.

This expansion represents a significant step in making routine medical tests more convenient for Scranton residents. The center will operate without the need for appointments, allowing individuals to complete necessary lab work on their own schedule. A public ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 24 at 11:00 a.m. to formally commemorate the opening.

A New Model for Patient Convenience

The new Patient Service Center is designed with a strong focus on patient experience, offering a suite of features aimed at reducing the stress and time commitment often associated with lab work. Operating weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the center allows patients to walk in for services, a key feature for busy professionals, parents, and those with unpredictable schedules. This model directly addresses a common barrier to care by eliminating the need to schedule appointments weeks in advance.

One of the most notable features of the Steamtown location is its dedicated pediatric room. This specially designed space aims to create a more comfortable and less intimidating environment for children requiring blood draws and other tests. The inclusion of this feature reflects a growing understanding in healthcare that a positive experience for young patients can lead to better long-term health engagement. HNL Lab Medicine has incorporated similar pediatric-friendly spaces in other recent openings, signaling a strategic commitment to family-centered care.

“We are excited to expand our presence in Scranton and provide another accessible option for the community,” said Lucas Gordils-Molina, Director of Phlebotomy Services at HNL Lab Medicine, in a statement. “This new Patient Service Center reflects our commitment to patient comfort, convenience, and dependable laboratory services for both patients and healthcare providers.”

This patient-first approach is central to the company's operational philosophy, which also includes an online check-in system to minimize wait times, which the company states are typically under 15 minutes.

Healthcare Joins the Retail Revolution

The choice of The Marketplace at Steamtown for HNL Lab Medicine's latest center is a strategic move that places it at the intersection of commerce and community life. This decision is part of a broader national trend known as "retail health," where medical services are increasingly integrated into non-traditional settings like shopping malls and retail centers to meet patients where they are.

For The Marketplace at Steamtown, the addition of a medical tenant like HNL Lab Medicine further solidifies its successful transformation from a conventional shopping mall into a multifaceted "lifestyle center." After facing foreclosure in 2014 with a low occupancy rate, the property was acquired and rebranded in 2016. The new ownership pursued a diversification strategy, bringing in tenants like a community college campus, an aquarium, a fitness center, and other service-oriented businesses. This model has revitalized the downtown landmark, which now boasts an occupancy rate of approximately 90%.

The presence of a lab service provider alongside retail stores and entertainment venues offers unparalleled convenience, allowing residents to bundle errands and medical necessities into a single trip. This synergy not only drives foot traffic for the mall but also embeds essential healthcare services into the daily fabric of the community, making preventative care and diagnostic testing more accessible than ever.

Navigating a Competitive Landscape

HNL Lab Medicine enters a well-established healthcare market in Scranton. The region is already served by several major laboratory service providers, including national giants Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, both of which operate multiple patient centers in the area. Additionally, integrated health systems like Geisinger and Commonwealth Health offer extensive lab services through their hospital-affiliated locations, which are also known for their quality and patient care.

While competitors also offer walk-in options, HNL Lab Medicine appears to be differentiating itself by creating a unique value proposition. Its strategy hinges on the combination of three key elements: an ultra-convenient retail location, a strict no-appointment-needed model, and a specialized focus on patient comfort, particularly for pediatric patients. While other providers may offer one or two of these features, the integration of all three in a modern, accessible setting is designed to carve out a distinct niche.

Furthermore, the company is tapping into the growing consumer demand for more control over healthcare. Through its "HNL Lab Tests Direct" service, patients can order a wide range of tests online without a doctor's order, a model that competes with third-party facilitators and empowers individuals to proactively manage their health with transparent, self-pay pricing.

A Strategic Expansion for Regional Care

The Scranton opening is not an isolated event but part of a calculated, multi-regional expansion by HNL Lab Medicine. With over 25 years in operation, the company has grown to include more than 50 patient service centers and 31 acute care labs across Pennsylvania. Recent openings in other communities, such as Bartonsville in January 2026 and Bethlehem in July 2025, have followed a similar blueprint, emphasizing community-based locations and patient-centric features like pediatric rooms.

This consistent strategy demonstrates a clear focus on strengthening its network outside of traditional hospital campuses and medical office buildings. By establishing a presence in high-traffic, accessible community hubs, HNL Lab Medicine is building a robust infrastructure designed to reduce travel time for patients and improve the efficiency of diagnostic services for partner physicians across the state. This new center in Scranton joins several other HNL locations in Northeastern Pennsylvania, creating a more comprehensive network for patients and providers throughout the region.