The Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Delaware County’s only trauma center, is having trouble paying its bills, so it’s looking for partner help from Temple University and Jefferson Health, writes Harold Brubaker for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Since Oct. 1, Temple has been providing the medical center with a cardiothoracic surgeon. The center is also looking for trauma and neurosurgical services next year from Jefferson.

Crozer-Chester’s kidney transplant program closed in January.

The Crozer Health system is in financial distress under for-profit owner Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. of Los Angeles.

Payment plans are being implemented for vendors of surgical supplies and other services because bills can’t be paid in full.

The financial difficulties came after investors loaded the Prospect hospitals with debt while paying millions of dollars in dividends for themselves.

State and local officials, along with the nonprofit, The Foundation for Delaware County, have paused litigation with Prospect over the closing of Delaware County Memorial Hospital for nine months to give Prospect time to find a new buyer for Crozer Health.

That deal still needs a judge’s approval.

If approved, Prospect is expected to seek bids for Crozer next month.

Find out more about the current situation at Crozer Health and Crozer-Chester Medical Center in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

This video from Crozer Health on its kidney transplant program is from a year ago.