(The Center Square) – The Department of Labor and Industry, or L&I, has entered the void being created by the closure of Delaware County’s Crozer-Chester hospital.
In addition to leaving the Delaware County community without a trauma center, a behavioral health crisis center, and access to close medical care for thousands, 2,651 employees will be losing their jobs.
The medical center, along with Taylor Hospital, is finally shutting its doors this week after a protracted battle to save it from the failures of Prospect Medical Holdings, a private equity company that oversaw the closures of the entire Crozer system, ultimately declaring bankruptcy. Employees were on the front lines of the fight.
“They don’t care about the employees here. They have taken everything from us,” said Peggy Malone, president of the Chester Crozer Nurses Association, at a press conference.
To Help, L&I is hosting a series of virtual Rapid Response Information meetings beginning Wednesday to assist laid off employees with determining next steps. The meetings will help them begin the job search while guiding them through the process of accessing unemployment benefits and health insurance.
Gov. Josh Shapiro issued a statement saying, “Prospect Medical Holdings, the for-profit owner of Crozer Health, pillaged these hospitals for their own gain – and today, we see the result of their greed and mismanagement with the announced closure and loss of critical health care services for the people of Delaware County.”
“Now, we will keep working closely with our local partners to support the workers who have served so many families and patients and continue fighting for the patients who have been harmed by Prospect’s greed,” said Shapiro.
Even in the face of unemployment, the medical staff rallied on behalf of patients, emphasizing that the closure will lead to loss of lives.
“Who’s going to tell these parents that their children died because we couldn’t get them somewhere quick enough?” asked Malone.
Mayor Stefan Roots issued an emergency declaration for the City of Chester last week in response to the announcement. He and his counterparts in other affected localities are working to establish a system that will make up for the lost EMS services.
“City Council and I are devastated by this crisis, and we are taking every possible step to address the negative impact this closure will have on the City of Chester and its residents,” said Roots.
They have assured residents that while Crozer will no longer be available to dispatch or receive ambulances, the local 911 service will continue to function. They’ve acknowledged that a significant additional burden will fall on nearby hospitals, many of which are already strained.
