PA Hospital Closures Destablizing Region, Leaving Officials Scrambling

PENNSYLVANIA — While the COVID-19 pandemic does not continue to impact everyday life in Pennsylvania the way it did for most of 2020 or 2021, the stress on the healthcare system remains, and some of the area's most vulnerable residents are suffering because of it. Inflation and a struggling economy have only excerbated staffing and budgetary issues, and the resulting closure of hospitals around the state has had a deletrious trickle effect on the entire system.

Officials say sudden, abrupt closures are costing lives. New legislation was introduced this week in the Pennsylvania legislature that aims to prevent closures from occurring without proper warning.

"It's not too dramatic to say people will die," said State Rep. Dan Williams (D-Chester), who introduced reform legislation in the state house.

Tower Health closed two Chester County hospitals in recent months: Brandywine Hospital in Caln Township shut down on Jan. 31. Jennersville Hospital in Penn Township closed on Dec. 31, 2021.

“A sudden, profit-driven decision to close an emergency facility can have a destabilizing effect on an entire region," State Sen. Carolyn Committa (D-Chester), who introduced similar legislation in the state senate, said in a statement. "And people deserve a complete picture on the ramifications of a potential closure."

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The proposed bills would increase the notice hospitals must give before closing a facility from 90 days to 180 days. It also provides

The bill increases the notice hospitals must give before closing a facility, from 90 days to 180 days. And it outlines required procedures for a "Closing Plan and Health Equity Impact Assessment" to be sent to the Department of Health that contains community input, public hearings, and data collection about the impact of the closure.

“Abrupt announcements and a lack of transparency around recent hospital closures left many people searching for answers concerning the future of critical health services in their community,
Comitta added.

Beyond just impacting services of local residents, the shuttering of Jennersville and Brandywine has also hammered neighboring hospitals and those who use their services. Nearby Paoli Hospital has been consistently overrun since the closures, and said they were seeing waits for critical patients of up to 30 hours in the emergency room. Main Line Health and Penn Medicine's other facilities are facing similar capacity issues.

Other hospitals in eastern Pennslyvania have suspended certain services. Delaware County's Crozer Health has begun suspending services, including the Springfield Hospital emergency department and numerous other ancillary services. More shutdowns appear likely, officials say.

Another Philadelphia area hospital owned by Tower Health, Chestnut Hill Hospital, is also facing closure. Local officials are battling hard to save it. A proposed plan would see Temple Health partner with Redeemer Health and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine to take over Chestnut Hill Hospital from Tower Health.

Healthcare funding has been on the radar of officials for some time. Gov. Tom Wolf signed House Bill 253 into law in February. The legislation provided $110 million to hospitals that provide behavioral health services, serve a high amount of Medical Assistance clients, or are in some of our most rural parts of the state so they, too, can retain and recruit the staff they need at the bedside. It also provides $100 million for needed retention and recruitment funds for direct care staff.

Another $15 million was earmarked to quadruple the amount of student loan forgiveness that can be provided to nurses in various settings, including the Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program.