Hahnemann University Hospital is closing but the firm that owns it and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children says the pediatric hospital will remain open.
The Inquirer reported this morning that staff at Hahnemann was told about the closing Wednesday and the attorney for American Academic Health System LLC, which bought Hahnemann and St. Christopher's last year, says it will occur over several months. AAHS later released a statement that said Hahnemann's closing is expected around Sept. 6, but reaffirming that St. Christopher's will remain open, according to 6abc.com
"While Hahnemann will be closing, I want to be clear that St. Christopher's will remain open. This difficult choice will enable us to focus on the future of St. Christopher's," said Joel Freedman, founder of AAHS. "We anticipate a bright future for the hospital and its uniquely talented team."
Hahnemann employs more than 3,000 people in the city. While Hahnemann has just its Center City location, St. Christopher's has affiliated pediatric practices in Bethlehem, Jenkintown, Northeast Philadelphia, West Reading and Yardley in Pennsylvania and Sewell, NJ.
Hahnemann also serves as a teaching hospital for Drexel University's medical school.
California-based AAHS purchased Hahnemann and St. Christopher's from Tenet Healthcare Corp. in January 2018 for $170 million. It cut 175 jobs from Hahnemann earlier this year and its CEO, Joel Freedman, warned that the hospital might close because it was losing $3 million to $5 million a month, according to Philadelphia Business Journal.
