Crozer Health is set to close Crozer-Taylor Hospital and Crozer-Chester Medical Center on May 2, 2025, significantly impacting healthcare access in Delaware County.

This closure follows Prospect Medical's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on January 11, 2025, which included 66 affiliates and aimed to reorganize or sell medical assets while employing around 12,600 workers across various states.

In response to the crisis, there is a growing call for accountability from Prospect's leadership and legislative measures to prevent private equity ownership of hospitals, emphasizing the need for a healthcare system that prioritizes patient welfare.

As the community begins to feel the ripple effects of the closure, many residents are hoping for a last-minute intervention to save the hospitals.

In response to the healthcare challenges posed by the closures, Councilmember Tameka Gibson-Williams announced that resources will be made available to assist the community.

Concerns have been raised about the implications of these hospital closures on emergency care, with employees warning of the risks to patients requiring urgent medical attention.

The Pennsylvania attorney general has sued Prospect for financial mismanagement and negligence, further highlighting the unethical business practices attributed to the company.

Local officials and health advocates have expressed deep disappointment with Prospect's management, criticizing their financial practices that led to the current situation despite previous efforts to save the hospitals.

Dr. Max Cooper emphasized the potential fatal consequences of longer travel times to other hospitals, recounting a critical incident where a patient experiencing a heart attack was successfully resuscitated at Crozer.

While emergency departments will remain open for walk-in trauma care, they will eventually redirect patients to other hospitals, raising concerns about the adequacy of care during transfers.

Union president Peggy Malone criticized the closures as devastating for the community, underscoring the critical role Crozer's services play in supporting vulnerable populations.

In light of the impending closures, county officials have declared a seven-day disaster emergency to support affected communities and healthcare workers.