PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The nonprofit Foundation for Delaware County and the University of Pennsylvania Health System are working on an agreement to keep two Delaware County hospitals open.
An attorney for Prospect Medical Holdings, the owner of Crozer Keystone Health, reportedly told a bankruptcy judge in Texas on Monday the transaction would be a partnership between Delaware County, Penn, the commonwealth and other parties. However, Peggy Malone, president of the Crozer-Chester Nurses Association, said Penn's involvement would be limited.
The foundation will provide an additional $13 million to keep the for-profit hospitals — Crozer Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park — open through at least April 1.
That’s on top of the $7 million the foundation already gave to keep the doors open the last few weeks.
The hope is by April 1, there will be an agreement in place for a new nonprofit ownership group to take over for Prospect Medical Holdings, which filed for bankruptcy in January.
“The additional $13 million pledged by the Foundation is a critical step that buys us valuable time to secure a long-term solution — something we all know is essential to preserving local health care access in Delaware County,” state Sen. Tim Kearney said in a statement. “While challenges remain, today’s development makes me hopeful about the future of Crozer Health."
Malone said these hospitals must stay open. If they were to close, patients would have to travel farther for care, and that’s the last thing anyone needs in an emergency.
After Monday’s court hearing, Malone said she is optimistic.
“We know there’s a lot of time from between now and [April 1] and it will take a lot of hard work, but we’re really gonna try to stay hopeful and hope that this hospital is gonna be around for a long time,” she said.
“This whole community will be affected, and so I think it’s wonderful that so many are stepping up and it looks like we’re gonna see light at the end of this tunnel.”
More details may be provided during a hearing on Wednesday. Ultimately, it will be up to the bankruptcy court judge to approve a sale.