Former Delco Hospital Could Get New Life, But Return Of ER Not Guaranteed

RIDLEY PARK, PA — Main Line Health will receive $1 million in state funding for a future project at Taylor Hospital, which closed last year. But it's unclear whether emergency care will return to one of Delaware County's shuttered hospitals.

Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park was one of two Crozer Health hospitals in Delco that closed last year after Prospect Medical Holdings — Crozer's parent company — went bankrupt.

On Tuesday, the area's state representative announced that Main Line Health has been awarded $1 million for a future project at Taylor Hospital.

State Rep. David Delosso, a Democrat representing the 162nd district, initially said the project would help restore emergency services at Taylor Hospital. In state documents, it's labeled as a grant supporting the "Taylor Hospital Emergency Medical Department."

However, Delosso's announcement was later corrected. Main Line Health has been rewarded $1 million for a project at Taylor Hospital. But a spokesperson for Delosso says the reopening of Taylor Hospital's ER hasn't been confirmed yet.

Main Line Health is exploring options to expand emergency care in Delco, which could include Taylor Hospital, a spokesperson for the health network emailed Patch.

"We are incredibly grateful to the Delaware County legislative delegation and the Governor's Office for helping secure $1 million in funding to enhance access to patient care in the county," the spokesperson said.

Prospect Medical Holdings — a private health care company based in Los Angeles — acquired Crozer in 2016. Crozer's portfolio included four Delco hospitals at that time.

In 2022, Prospect closed the hospitals in Springfield and Drexel Hill. The company went bankrupt last year and closed Taylor Hospital and Crozer-Chester Medical Center.

"Taylor wasn’t just a healthcare provider but a major employer in the area, too," Delloso said in a statement. "As is standard for private equity firms, services were cut to siphon larger profit margins for shareholders until patients and employees were left with nothing."

The closures left Delco with only two hospitals — neither of which are in southern Delco, which contains many of the county's poor and working-class communities.

Multiple hospitals have reported facing greater strain as a result, including Riddle Hospital in Media, which Main Line Health owns. Main Line Health also received a $4 million state grant in July to expand emergency care in Delco, with the precise location to be determined.

But more than a year after Delco's most-recent hospital closures, no major revitalizations to emergency care have been guaranteed in the areas of the county most impacted.

Chariot Allaire Partners, which acquired Crozer-Chester Medical Center, said the hospital in Upland will reopen at a tenth of its former size.

Last September, private-investor group KQT Aikens Partners reached an agreement to buy Taylor Hospital for $1 million. The group stated they wanted to re-establish medical services, including an emergency room, but nothing has been confirmed.

ChristianaCare, a Delaware-headquartered health care provider, opened a 10-bed "neighborhood" hospital in Aston a few months back. A 10-bed hospital in Springfield is expected to open in fall 2027. ChristianaCare also took over Crozer's outpatient facilities, purchasing them for $50.3 million during Prospect's bankruptcy auction.

Around the nation, hospitals and doctor's offices continue to consolidate into the hands of larger entities, including corporations and private-equity firms. A report published in the Health Affairs medical journal says consolidation of health care services has led to higher costs, reduced access and lower-quality care.