Sharon (Pa.) Regional Hospital, part of Dallas-based Steward Health Care, closed Jan. 5 with knowledge and consent of the state, a person with knowledge of the decision told Becker's on Jan. 6.
While the hospital is closed and no longer seeing patients, the source also shared that an ambulance is parked outside of the hospital to transport patients that show up seeking care to other nearby facilities.
The hospital was initially set to close Jan. 6, but had received a last-minute offer from Tenor Health Partners, a hospital turnaround company, WKBN reported Dec. 31. Tenor had reached an agreement in principle with Medical Properties Trust, one of the world's largest hospital real estate owners and landlord to many of Steward's 31 hospitals.
Steward, which sought Chapter 11 protection May 6, filed plans to close the hospital on Dec. 16, along with two WARN notices in mid-December for 848 employees.
Sharon Regional chief of surgery Valeri Roth, DO, told WKBN on Jan. 5 that she is hopeful the hospital's closure will only last two days, at most.
"Any time we cut back services, … it's just that much further that we have to rebuild to move forward," Dr. Roth said. "That's revenue we're not generating, so that gives us a bigger hole to dig out of."
The source close to Steward also told Becker's the hospital could reopen anytime should the Tenor Health deal go through.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry's office is engaged in ongoing developments regarding the hospital and remains "committed to attempting to keep healthcare options open and accessible to all Pennsylvanians," a spokesperson for the Ms. Henry's office said in a Jan. 6 statement shared with Becker's.
Editor's note: This story was updated on Jan. 6 at 1:12 p.m. CT.