Tower Health closes Brandywine Hospital month after Jennersville closure
Tower Health closes Brandywine Hospital month after Jennersville closure
Tower Health closed Brandywine Hospital on Monday night, leaving the Chester County community concerned about the availability of healthcare. Attorney's for Canyon Atlantic Healthcare, a prospective buyer, have asked a Chester County judge for a preliminary injunction, saying Tower Health backed out without giving them notice.
COATESVILLE, Pa. - Tower Health closed its second of two Chester County hospitals on Monday due to continued financial trouble and a failed deal with a new buyer.
Brandywine was officially decommissioned at 11:59 p.m. Monday, a month after Jennersvill Hospital in West Grove suffered the same fate.
Tower Health thought they had found a buyer in Texas-based Canyon Atlantic Healthcare, but the deal that would have saved both hospitals fell though.
Officials from Tower Health said they will work with patients for transitional care and assist staff with placements into other positions.
"Our responsibility to our patients, employees and the communities served is to ensure this transition included an effective and safe path for change," Tower Health said. "In the end, we are highly disappointed that Canyon Atlantic Partners has not been able to satisfy these essential requirements."
Meanwhile, local leaders and healthcare advocates believe the closure of the hospital is devastating to the community. Among other services, Brandywine provided the county's only behavioral health unit and patients will now be funneled to other hospitals.
"This is a huge void now and it’s going to create some serious challenges for patients that would normally be 10 minutes away are going to have to go 30 minutes away, it’s going to put a lot of pressure on EMS," Former Director of Pastoral Care at Brandywine Hospital Reverend Garry Fowler said.
There is still hope that both healthcare facilities can be saved. Attorney's for Canyon Atlantic Healthcare have asked a Chester County judge for a preliminary injunction, saying Tower Health backed out without giving them notice.
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