Hahnemann University Hospital begins implementing closures
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Despite pleas and protests, Hahnemann University Hospital will start implementing its plan for closure Wednesday.
Beginning at 7 a.m., the hospital stopped admitting patients from the emergency room.
Also happening Wednesday, the hospital will end elective surgical cases requiring inpatient care and close the inpatient operating room to non-emergency cases.
Other scheduled events in the hospital's closure timeline:
- Direct inpatient admissions will cease on July 19th.
- Endoscopy and colonoscopy services end on July 26th.
- Same-day surgeries will end on July 26th.
- Infusion center and aphaeresis services end on July 26th.
- Sleep Lab will close on July 26th.
- Emergency Department will close on August 16th.
- Hospital services such as lab, radiology, blood bank, and pharmacy will close on August 23rd.
- The Drexel outpatient oncology suite located in Hahnemann will cease operations on or before September 6th.
- The hospital building is planned to close on or about September 6th.
The people who work there say the hospital is already noticeably more empty.
"Every floor is becoming more empty," said Patricia Lee, who has worked at the hospital for six years.
Lee has served as a medical coordinator and says the hospital staff is like family.
"It kills me," she said through tears. "It's hard to walk in the hospital and see so many people gone."
"A lot of people especially in this area.... where are they going to go?" asked Lee. "My son's a cop and he brings people hurt here. He comes here when he gets hurt on the job, and it's very sad. I'm going to miss all the people here, they're good people."
The hospital is using an Iron Mountain Information management to retrieve and store electronic and physical medical records.
Three weeks ago, it was announced that the hospital will close.
Philadelphia Academic Health System, which owns Hahnemann, has been working with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the city of Philadelphia to reach approval on the hospital's closure plan.
