ChristianaCare to open first Delaware County microhospital in Aston in June

ChristianaCare is preparing to open its first microhospital in Delaware County, a $51 million facility in Aston designed to help address the region's healthcare gaps following the collapse of Crozer Health.

Construction crews recently put the finishing touches on the new facility, which is set to open in mid-June. The microhospital will provide 24/7 emergency care with 10 emergency room beds and 10 inpatient beds, along with imaging and laboratory services. An outpatient health center will occupy the second floor.

The Aston location is the second of three microhospitals ChristianaCare plans to launch in the region. The first opened in West Grove, Chester County, in August 2025. A third facility planned for Springfield is expected to open in October 2027.

Officials said the Aston microhospital is intended to help fill the void left after Crozer Health collapsed amid bankruptcy last year.

"It's not going to solve all of the challenges of this region, but certainly we believe an ED facility of this size will be able to handle and support much of what this community needs," Dr. Vinay Maheshwari, physician executive at ChristianaCare, said.

For emergency room registrar Bill Buddle, the opening is personal.

"I'm so excited and feeling so blessed for the community because since Crozer closed down, there's been such a hole in our community," Buddle said.

Buddle worked at Crozer for 22 years before losing his job when the health system shut down. CBS News Philadelphia featured his story in March as he searched for work after being laid off.

After seeing the report, ChristianaCare reached out and offered him a position at the new Aston facility.

"I broke down in tears and thank God," Buddle said.

Officials said up to 70% of employees at the new microhospital will be former Crozer workers. The facility is expected to serve 15,000 patients a year.