PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Health insurer Highmark Inc. and the West Penn Allegheny Health System said the emergency room at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh will reopen on Valentine's Day.

Officials announced the plans at a news conference Monday. They said the new emergency room is opening as the hospital is also expanding its inpatient services, including renovated medical, surgical and intensive care units with all private rooms and upgraded labor and baby delivery services.

The renovated ER holds 23 patient beds and it equipped with numerous technological updates including a new, state-of-the art, 128 slice CT scanner.

"It's like getting a high-definition television versus the old black and white TVs. The images are absolutely amazing and will help us diagnose and treat our patients," Dr. Thomas Campbell, chair of emergency medicine of WPAHS said.

Recent job fairs have attracted 2,000 applicants, though it's not clear how many will be hired.

The health network laid off about 1,500 when the hospital was downsized in 2010 due to ongoing financial struggles. Highmark and West Penn announced plans to reverse those moves as part of Highmark's $475 million takeover of the health system. State regulators must still sign off on that deal.