A Pennsylvania appeals court reversed a lower court's ruling that blocked Crozer Health-owned Delaware County Memorial Hospital from closing its emergency department and ending general inpatient services, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported May 3.
The lower court granted a preliminary injunction in October blocking the Drexel Hill, Pa.-based hospital from closing the emergency department and ending general inpatient services, according to the report. The lawsuit was filed by the Foundation of Delaware County, which represents the legal interests of the nonprofit that sold Springfield, Pa.-based Crozer to Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings in 2016.
The foundation argued that plans to turn Delaware County Memorial into a behavioral health facility — with an urgent care center and other services — violated the sale agreement, which required Prospect to keep Crozer's hospitals open for at least 10 years, according to the report.
The appeals court ruled that the foundation did not prove that the closure would cause irreparable harm to the community.
The decision is not expected to have immediate impact, however, as the state health department in November ordered the hospital to stop admitting patients and suspend its emergency room services because it lacked staff, according to the report.