As Crozer Health begins the business of shutting down, Delaware County, its communities, and other healthcare providers are taking steps to protect patients and displaced staff from a Crozer Health absence.
Taylor Hospital is scheduled to close on Monday, April 28. Crozer-Chester Medical Center is set to close on Friday, May 2.
Crozer EMS services are set to shut down on May 2, with a possible extension of services under bankruptcy procedures approved by a bankruptcy judge.
The shutdown leaves only two working Delaware County hospitals–Riddle Hospital in Media and Mercy Fitzgerald in Darby.
Riddle President Shelly Buck has indicated that Riddle is ready to take in Crozer patients but also believes some patients will go to ChristianaCare in Delaware, while others will enter the University of Pennsylvania Health System and the Lankenau Medical Center, writes John George for Philadelphia Business Journal.
Patients receiving health services for women and babies, including high-level neonatal intensive care, are expected to end up at Riddle or other nearby Main Line Health hospitals, writes Harold Brubaker and Sarah Gantz for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Buck said officials have met with Crozer-Chester Medical Center obstetricians and gynecology physicians about coming over to Main Line Health.
Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, owner of Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, expects to start picking up patients who would normally have been taken by ambulance to Crozer-Chester’s emergency department over to Trinity’s other hospital, St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington.
Eventually, a new player will be entering Delaware County’s sphere of healthcare. ChristianaCare is opening two micro-hospitals in the county, one in Aston and one in Springfield.
Springfield residents will have a chance Tuesday to ask about the proposed Springfield micro-hospital during an open house at the Springfield Country Club from 7 to 9 PM, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.
Representatives from ChristianaCare and its design team will be in attendance and available to address questions and concerns.
Upper Darby Township has hired STAT EMS Medical Transport in Drexel Hill to replace Crozer’s EMS service, starting Monday.
Springfield Township in conjunction with Springfield Ambulance Corps is contracting with the nonprofit VMSC Emergency Medical Services to handle its paramedic needs, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.
Ridley Township has also signed an agreement with Narberth Ambulance for its paramedic services.
The Delaware County Health Department hosted a discussion panel Thursday night in
Chester with concerned residents, reports CBS News Philadelphia.
The discussion addressed health insurance coverage, medical transportation options, and local care facilities.
“It’s unfathomable that the people of Chester could live in this community that’s overburdened by pollution and not have a hospital here to treat them,” said Dr. Kristin Motley, health commissioner for the city of Chester. “The people in Chester will die driving a half hour to get to an ER. It’s not sustainable.”
The county issued an emergency declaration to ensure care would continue for patients as well as mobilize resources for the 3,000 health care workers laid off at Crozer.
Virtual job fairs and on-site events are planned by the health department to help the displaced workers.
Riddle and Main Line Health will also host a job fair next week for displaced Crozer Health workers, covering dozens of vacancies in nursing, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, nutrition service and support services.
The Crozer shutdown is also impacting local businesses that rely on Crozer Health workers as regular customers.
Find out more details about the Crozer closing impact at CBS News Philadelphia, Philadelphia Business Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Daily Times.
Find out more about the proposed Springfield micro-hospital in the Daily Times.
