An emergency ordinance introduced April 19 would require hospitals to give written notice to a Pennsylvania county health department at least 180 days in advance of a unit or hospital closure, NPR affiliate WHYY reported.
Currently, the state requires a 90-day notice. The hospital system would also have to provide a plan stating the reason for the closure and how it will help patients and employees affected by it.
"It is so critical to our residents to have those services. And when they are shut down without warning or shut down quickly, it doesn't allow us the time or the opportunity to find other providers or to find other resources for our community," Monica Taylor, chair of the Delaware County Council, told the station.
Springfield, Pa.-based Crozer Health was specifically cited as a reason for the emergency ordinance, which announced the short-term, temporary suspension of emergency and ancillary services at Springfield (Pa.) Hospital in January. However, many of the services are still closed three months later and county officials have not received word of when they'll reopen, according to the station.
The health system has been experiencing financial challenges, recently threatening to end emergency medical services to seven municipalities unless they pay up. Newark, Del-based ChristianaCare plans to acquire the system from Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings, ChristianaCare said in February.
The ordinance will be up for a vote April 20 and is expected to pass unanimously, according to WHYY.