Crozer Health closure going smoothly, Prospect tells court
A bankruptcy judge was told Wednesday the process of closing Crozer Health hospitals was going safely as Lower Chichester commissioners asked the governor to send the Pennsylvania National Guard to provide care.
“So far, all of the patients have safely been transported to the various hospitals within that community,” Prospect Medical Holdings Chief Restructuring Officer Paul Rundell said of the more than 200 patients who needed to be moved out of Taylor Hospital and Crozer-Chester Medical Center. “As much as no one has wanted to go down this process, it has gone down pretty quick and it’s gone pretty safely but, obviously, it’s a difficult thing to do. There’s no question it’s not where we wanted to go.”
He was speaking at a hearing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Northern District of Texas, where the Prospect case is being heard.
Patient care ombudsman Suzanne Koenig said her team has been embedded at both hospitals.
“It’s been quite remarkable and quite difficult, as you might imagine,” she said. “The staff at the facilities both places have been amazing. As much as it was so difficult for all of them, very few of them called in. I will say I was so pleased to tell you that most of these staff showed up day-by-day, knowing that the doors were going to be closing soon, but they were there to take care of the patients so kudos to them for doing that.”
She said she anticipated that the last patient would be transferred from Crozer-Chester on Friday.
“The impact on the community is quite significant,” Koenig said, adding that all nearby hospitals have experienced an increase in their emergency departments since the closure announcement was made.
“Not a good situation,” U.S. Bankruptcy Court Chief Justice Stacey G.C. Jernigan said. “But, I feel like we’ve got a team here … to really smooth over as much as we can here of the disruption to the community.”
National Guard sought
Also on Wednesday, Lower Chichester Commissioners President Rocco Gaspari Jr. wrote to Gov. Josh Shapiro on behalf of the township asking him to deploy the National Guard to provide essential care that will be absent with the closures of Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital.
Gaspari requested deployment of medical units headquartered at Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon County, to staff trauma units and emergency rooms at Crozer and Taylor until the current crisis is resolved.
“With Crozer and Taylor Hospitals’ closing Southeastern PA residents are desperate for these services now,” he wrote.
He said Lower Chichester is among 20 Delaware County municipalities in a state of emergency because of the hospital closures.
“Lives are in danger not only in Lower Chichester Township but in the communities around us and throughout Delaware County, including any victims of unfortunate accidents. along the I-95 corridor which bisects the county,” he noted. “The time to talk is over. It’s time to act. Let’s solve this problem together.”
Attempts to reach the governor’s office for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday.
Process continues
At the Texas hearing, Rundell testified about the process.
“As of last Wednesday, both hospitals started the emergency room diversion,” he said. “Both hospitals had, together, about 250 patients at the time. Taylor had a little bit less than 30 and the bulk of it was at our main campus at Crozer.”
He said all of the patients were out of Taylor by Saturday.
“We do have ambulances outside of Taylor, if they’re needed for emergency purposes,” Rundell testified, adding that they would be there for seven days after Taylor’s closure. Koenig said six patients have walked up to Taylor’s emergency room in four days after its closure.
Crozer-Chester was completely different.
Rundell said two ambulances would be stationed outside that hospital for up to 10 days after its Emergency Department closed.
He noted Crozer-Chester had between 220 and 230 patients when it went on diversion last Wednesday. A week later, there were about 22 patients there.
“We just recently had a woman who walked up,” Rundell said, adding that she wasn’t from the United States. “I think she flew in and had a baby. So, we treated the woman and treated the baby and they’re both doing OK.”
Koenig said the Crozer-Chester emergency department was scheduled to close at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Melissa Van Eck, representing the state Attorney General, noted some concerns in the process, including the request to have ambulances stationed outside of Crozer-Chester for up to 16 weeks.
“We do think that there is some sort of sweet spot between the seven to 10 days and that 16-week period,” she said, adding that when Delaware County Memorial Hospital closed, about 50 patients showed up outside that facility in the first month needing transport. “It’s anticipated that the numbers that will come to Crozer will be much higher than that.”
Rundell and Prospect attorney Thomas Califano said it wasn’t financially feasible to provide 16 weeks of coverage.
Koenig said Rundell was going to offer the ambulances to the county and the municipalities for market value. She said she was able to recruit 16 EMTs for the Crozer team, if needed.
She recommended the county or someone else set up an area for ambulances outside the emergency department.
Van Eck asked the court about the possibility of using the helipad at Crozer-Chester as well as concerns the state Department of Environmental Protection had about deficiencies regarding the disposal of hazardous waste as the hospitals close.
Rundell said he would work with DEP to see what their concerns are and address them.
He said that the hospital winddown would go through July as officials deal with administrative issues.
Rundell said Prospect would experience a $6.3 million loss related to the winddown.
Attorney general responds
In March, the company began telling the court of end dates for the Crozer Health system unless money was found. Various entities including Delaware County, the state and the Foundation for Delaware County fronted about $40 million to keep operations afloat.
However, by the end of last week, the bankruptcy judge approved Prospect’s request for an expedited closure of the hospitals. Last Friday, Taylor Hospital closed. Crozer-Chester Medical Center will cease operations by Thursday, May 1.
They also requested a criminal investigation of the current and former owners of Prospect.
Sunday responded that it would be difficult to recoup any money from the bankruptcy court and that if criminal acts occurred within his jurisdiction, his office will pursue them.
Springfield Hospital was closed in 2020 and Delaware County Memorial Hospital followed in 2022.
The Foundation for Delaware County contested the closure of DCMH, and the case made its way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The litigation was suspended to allow Prospect time to find a buyer for Crozer Health.
Sunday has been actively involved in negotiations since taking office in January.
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