Delaware County EMS already feeling impact from Crozer Health hospitals closure
The closing of Crozer Health is impacting more than just employees and patients. Emergency medical services are now faced with driving patients to other hospitals that are farther away.
Crozer Health began diverting patients from its emergency departments Wednesday and is no longer admitting new patients. Local hospitals have already reported an increase in patient admissions.
Delaware County EMS now under more pressure
In Norwood, it's just after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, and an ambulance crew is on its third call of the day.
Someone passed out, but they're OK and don't want to go to the hospital.
Due to the closure of emergency departments at Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, the closest hospital is now 5 miles away, Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby. That's four times the distance from what it used to be.
"Now we have to go to Fitz, which is an extremely longer transport time," Benjamin Watson said, "which could cause more problems. [Time] matters a lot in this field."
Watson and Devon Stow expected the hospital shutdowns to happen, but they say suddenly, they're under more pressure.
Longer wait times could have deadly consequences
Crozer still provides EMS support for more than 50% of calls in Delaware County, but this will not be the case for much longer.
"It's going to be longer wait times, more mileage," Stow said. "It's more stressful. Not only on us, but for them because that time difference can be the difference between life and death."
These first responders say such a statement isn't an exaggeration.
Norwood Fire Company President Bill Bierman, who has been on the job for 55 years, is deeply concerned.
"Shocked, just like everybody else," Bierman said. "Nobody ever dreamed this. Even when it was going on, I've been talking to doctors down there and they said, 'It's not going to close, it's not going to close.' And here we are, it's closed."
Crozer closing "significant blow" to Delaware County
Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor says her staff is doing everything possible to support local municipalities.
"It's a significant blow to our municipalities, but they have responded," Taylor said. "They're looking to figure out what the next steps are, who are the other providers that are in this space and trying to figure out what the timeline will be for them to be able to transition."
Taylor said she has been told that the goal is to close Taylor Hospital by Friday and then shut down the entire system by May 2.
"People are going to be hurt or dying from it"
"It makes everybody's life harder," Stow said. "It makes our jobs. It makes people who need care, it makes their lives harder."
EMS crews say that if they receive a trauma call, it means a half-hour drive to either Lankenau Medical Center or Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, plus additional turnaround time.
"Now, we're going to be going into Philly and Riddle and Lankenau and it's probably going to be a three-to-four-hour turnaround time," Bierman said, "and people are going to be hurt or dying from it."
Disaster declarations have been issued in several Delaware County towns, painting a grim picture as people figure out how to manage without the Crozer system.
