Crozer Health will cease operations in Delaware County after months of bankruptcy proceedings and sale negotiations, parent company Prospect Medical Holdings announced Monday.
Prospect said that it will be shuttering Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Chester and Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park. Crozer Health at Broomall, the Surgery Center at Haverford, Crozer Medical Plaza at Brinton Lake and Media Medical Plaza will remain open until they are sold. Approximately 2,600 people will be laid off.
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Patients at Crozer-Chester expected to stay over five days will be transferred, but those with shorter stays can remain until they are discharged, the Inquirer reported. Patients at Taylor Hospital likely to stay more than two days will be moved to Crozer-Chester.
In response, Delaware County issued an emergency declaration, which will be effective for seven days and provide more flexibility for hiring, procurement, emergency medical services dispatch and tracking expenses related to the closure. A statement from the county said officials were "extremely disappointed" about the news.
"The county has worked tirelessly for months to hold together a coalition of nonprofit entities and community partners who could potentially assume operations at the Prospect-owned facilities to ensure a long-term solution that keeps some level of services in operation for our residents," officials said in a statement. "While this work continues, it has not produced a resolution that has been agreed to in time to avoid this closure."
County officials also said they will be filing an objection to the closure, which they said does not comply with local law that requires healthcare companies to provide a plan for closure with 180 days notice. The Delaware County Workforce Development Board is establishing a location for Crozer employees seeking new jobs, as well.
The Crozer closure comes after months of back and forth on shuttering the facilities. On January 11, Prospect filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy motion in Texas. A few months later, the company submitted a motion in March for "expedited closure" of Crozer, saying that keeping it open would jeopardize Prospect's other holdings. Crozer was able to stay afloat for a few weeks after emergency stopgap funding from the Foundation for Delaware County, but it wasn't enough to prevent the closures.
Prospect had been working with the Pennsylvania Attorney General to find new owners for the two facilities, but learned on Friday that no buyer would be moving forward, NBC10 reported. Earlier that week, Crozer CEO Tony Esposito has announced his resignation, effective Friday.
"The closure of two more hospitals will significantly reduce emergency healthcare options," the foundation said in a statement. "It will also make it harder for people to attend doctors’ appointments and access vital medical services, including maternity care."
Anyone with inquiries regarding patient transfer, care and the hospital transition can contact Delaware County at 888-801-2338 or CrozerPAInquiries@omniagnt.com.
