East Norriton Suburban Community Hospital to Transform into a Small Behavioral Health Facility
Prime Healthcare Foundation has announced plans to convert Suburban Community Hospital, located in East Norriton, into a behavioral health facility exclusively catering to adults aged 55 and older, as of July 1. This transition marks a significant shift in the hospital’s service offerings, which will be narrowed primarily to this specialized unit featuring 15 beds. Previously, Prime Healthcare had suspended operations at the hospital’s psychiatric unit last year, signaling an ongoing strategy to adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape.
The downsizing of Suburban Community Hospital commenced in the summer of 2022, when it limited its services to emergency and diagnostic care and was reclassified as a micro-hospital. At that time, the facility, which boasted a capacity of 126 beds, was grappling with low patient numbers, averaging only 23 per day in 2023. Recent data provided by Prime indicate an even steeper decline, revealing an average of just eight patients per day so far this year.
As Suburban transitions to this new model, it will operate under the licensing framework of Roxborough Memorial Hospital, also owned by Prime Healthcare and located in Philadelphia, just two miles from Suburban. The restructuring is expected to result in the retention of 37 full-time staff members at Suburban, while the remaining 89 employees will be offered comparable positions at other Prime facilities, such as Roxborough and Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol Township. The hospital has informed state regulators of its intention to lay off a total of 109 employees, a figure that encompasses both part-time and per-diem staff.
Despite these service changes, graduate medical education will continue at Suburban through the current academic year. The institution houses a residency program that includes 18 doctors in training, alongside an additional 15 family practice residents. Furthermore, independent medical practices within Suburban, including the Fox Chase Cancer Center and Primary Care of East Norriton, will remain operational.
Prime Healthcare Foundation acquired Suburban Community Hospital in 2016 for million, and the ongoing adjustments reflect the organization’s efforts to align with contemporary healthcare demands while maintaining essential services for the community.
