Hahnemann University Hospital Not Accepting Trauma Patients, Officials Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Hahnemann University Hospital has notified the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation that it is not accepting trauma patients, officials say. It comes after the hospital announced earlier this week it would be shutting down in September.
According to the PTSF, the notification from the hospital was made Friday night.
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The emergency department will continue to remain open at Hahnemann, but it will not be accepting trauma patients.
"After reviewing our plan of closure and in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, we felt this move is in the best interest of patient safety," Dr. Alexander Trebelev, Hahnemann's chief medical officer, said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we are facing clinical and operational challenges. We cannot continue to serve trauma and STEMI patients under these conditions.
Hahnemann's Charles C. Wolferth Trauma Center, completed in 1986, was Philadelphia's first designated-Level I Trauma Center for adults. The de-designation as a Level 1 and Level 2 trauma center is effective immediately.
"As we approach a busy week of Wawa Welcome America events in the city, we want to make sure that every effort is made to make the public aware of these changes," a city spokesperson said. "We are working collaboratively with our state partners to monitor the situation and ensure steps are taken to mitigate the effects on the health and safety of our residents and visitors."
In a "cease and desist" letter, Pennsylvania health officials said any type of closure during the July 4 holiday week "could have widespread effects on the city."
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On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Academic Health System, which bought Hahnemann about 18 months ago, announced that because of continually losing money, they are shutting down the 496-bed hospital that serves more than 40,000 patients per year in their emergency room.
The union says the closure would create a public health emergency because no area hospitals' emergency department can properly treat the 40,000 patients Hahnemann sees annually.
The hospital that employs 2,500 workers will close on or around Sept. 6 due to continuing and unsustainable financial losses.
CBS3's Chantee Lans contributed to this report.