PENN — ChristianaCare and Tower Health Wednesday announced that ChristianaCare will purchase the former Jennersville Hospital location in West Grove from Tower Health, with the closing expected in approximately 30-60 days. The purchase will include the hospital and Tower Health’s interest in two office buildings, and an additional 24-acre parcel of land.
The new name for the campus will be ChristianaCare West Grove Campus. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter.
Jennersville Hospital has been closed since December 31, 2021. The acquisition does not include any personnel or practices that are currently operating.
“At ChristianaCare, we recognize that the closing of Jennersville Hospital represented a loss of access to important health care services in the surrounding community,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare president and CEO. “ChristianaCare already serves many members of the Southern Chester County community in our hospitals and practices. We look forward to working with community leaders, listening and evaluating needs, and re-establishing the right mix of health care services at this location.”
Planning for which services might be located on the Jennersville campus is in the early stages.
“We are exploring what is possible,” said Jennifer Schwartz, Esq., Chief Strategy Officer. “We know that the loss of the emergency services because of the closing of Jennersville Hospital is a significant concern of the community, and that’s definitely something that we’re discussing. Our priority right now is to talk with community leaders and listen to the community, so that we can develop a plan that meets their needs.”
ChristianaCare already serves residents of Southern Chester County. On March 21, ChristianaCare announced the integration of two primary care practices at Jennersville and West Grove that were previously part of Tower Health.
In February, ChristianaCare announced a Letter of Intent to acquire Crozer Health from Prospect Medical Holdings.
“Today’s announcement comes after a great deal of hard work by many people and is a true game-changer for high-quality medical care in our community,” said Representative John Lawrence. “It has been a pleasure working with ChristianaCare over the past few months, and I look forward to building on this foundation in the days ahead to meet the growing health care needs of southern Chester County.”
“ChristianaCare’s acquisition of Jennersville Hospital is great news for southern Chester County and the surrounding region, but it’s important to note that this positive development did not occur by chance. I want to thank the bipartisan group of leaders and stakeholders who worked diligently to make it happen,” said state Senator Carolyn Comitta. “We always prioritized finding a trusted partner that was committed to the community, our values of diversity and inclusion, and providing affordable, accessible care to all residents. While there is still much work ahead, I look forward to the reopening of the facility.”
“There is one word we have in response to the purchase of Jennersville Hospital, and that word is fantastic,” said Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline. “We thank the ChristianaCare leadership for their commitment to bringing much-needed services back to the southern Chester County region, and we recognize the efforts of Representative Lawrence, Senator Comitta, and all who worked together to help facilitate this purchase. Reopening will not happen overnight, but we are moving in the right direction.”
“Jennersville Hospital faithfully provided for the health, safety and welfare of southern Chester County residents for decades,” said Victor Mantegna, Chairman of the Penn Township Board of Supervisors. “News of its imminent closure was both devastating and constituted a substantial threat to our community. Today’s news answers more than a few prayers. We look forward to supporting our new community partner, ChristianaCare, as they reopen the facility. Our community will reap the benefits of this purchase for years to come.”
The roots of modern medical care in the community go back to the early 1900’s, when Dr. Robert Ewing established a five-bed clinic on Evergreen Street in West Grove. In the 1950s, realizing the need for improved medical facilities, community leaders came together to finance a replacement for the old West Grove Hospital that could serve the area for generations to come. Their vision and determination led to the construction of Jennersville Hospital, which opened in 1959 and underwent several expansions in the ensuing decades. ChristianaCare’s acquisition of the facility will establish a new chapter in the history of health care in the southern end of Chester County.
Lawrence, Comitta, the Chester County Commissioners, Penn Township supervisors, and officials from the Wolf administration met for months with a goal of finding a path forward for Jennersville Hospital after Tower Health’s abrupt closure announcement last year. A particular focus developed around emergency medicine, with the closest alternate facilities over 45 minutes away.
“Over the last few months, our local EMS providers, including Medic 94 and our local volunteer ambulance services, have done remarkable work in the face of tremendous challenges,” said Lawrence. “Today’s announcement is welcome news and will greatly improve response times and patient outcomes for those facing medical emergencies.”
Based in Wilmington, ChristianaCare is Delaware’s largest health care provider, operating three hospitals with 1,299 beds, a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center, a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center, and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care, and women’s health. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, and urgent care centers.
Source: Berkshire mont
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