Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital to close, according to Prospect.
Prospect Medical Holdings, the California-based owner of Crozer Health, has announced plans to initiate the closure of Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital located in Delaware County. Notices regarding these closures will be filed on Monday. In a slight reprieve for patients seeking outpatient care, the ambulatory surgery and imaging facilities at Brinton Lake, Broomall, Haverford, and Media will remain operational.
The timeline for the closures indicates that immediate action will be taken. Beginning Wednesday morning, emergency departments at the affected hospitals will cease operations and divert patients in need of urgent medical attention. Patients currently receiving treatment at Crozer-Chester Medical Center and anticipating hospital stays of more than five days will be transferred to other facilities, while those expected to discharge earlier will be permitted to remain until they are ready to go home.
In January, Prospect Medical Holdings sought bankruptcy protection, citing significant financial losses as the primary reason for shutting down these hospital facilities. Legal representatives for the company have emphasized the unsustainable nature of operations at Crozer Health since the filing. Efforts to stabilize the healthcare system included three rounds of substantial funding from various stakeholders, including the state of Pennsylvania, Delaware County, the Foundation for Delaware County, and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. This financial support was overseen by FTI Consulting, a management firm appointed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office to assist in navigating the crisis.
In a statement, FTI Consulting remarked on the challenging circumstances leading to the decision to wind down Crozer Health and its operations. Despite efforts to find a viable alternative resolution and potential sale to preserve the institution, those discussions ultimately did not yield a successful outcome.
For over 18 months, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office and the administration of Governor Josh Shapiro have actively pursued strategies aimed at transferring Crozer Health to nonprofit ownership. One proposal involved collaboration among local nonprofit health systems to facilitate the acquisition of Crozer Health by a newly formed nonprofit entity. However, negotiations faltered as terms regarding liability assumptions from the new owner proved contentious, stalling any advances towards this model.
As the situation continues to unfold, further updates are expected to clarify the ramifications of these closures for the local community and healthcare landscape in Delaware County.
