PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Penn Medicine has announced it will acquire the shuttered Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville — a relief to many Chester County residents who have had to travel great distances to get to the nearest hospital.
Penn Medicine entered an agreement to buy the 171-bed hospital from Tower Health. It has been closed since January 2022, along with Jennersville Hospital in West Grove.
Marian Moskowitz, chair of the Chester County Board of Commissioners, said the agreement means a great deal to the community.
“We had one-third of our entire county land map without emergency services, and the impact on our EMTs was enormous,” said Moskowitz. “The hospitals that had to fill that gap were enormous.
“There are so many effects to closing a hospital. We have people with a heart attack — they have to drive 45 minutes now to get to an emergency room.”
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Penn’s plans and a timeline for reopening the hospital have not yet been disclosed. KYW Newsradio reached out to Penn Medicine for comment.
“I think Penn Medicine has to close [the deal], which they hope to do by the end of the year with Tower and they will begin working on their plan,” Moskowitz added. “It’s going to take a little time … but I know whatever Penn does will be in the best interest of our community.”