|
Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and
Mercy Health System to Implement New Healthcare Vision to
Better Serve South Philadelphia
Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and Mercy Health System's
St. Agnes Medical Center signed an agreement today to move
forward with plans to expand and enhance healthcare delivery
in South Philadelphia. Methodist Hospital, a division of Thomas
Jefferson University Hospitals, will provide short-term acute
care services in the community. St. Agnes Medical Center will
be transformed into the St. Agnes Continuing Care Center in
response to unmet community needs for programs for the elderly
and others who require long-term acute care and continuing
care services. Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and Mercy
Health System together project approximately $12.5-15 million
in capital investments to improve and expand healthcare services
in South Philadelphia.
St. Agnes Medical Center and Methodist Hospital are working
together to secure regulatory approvals and finalize all outstanding
issues prior to implementing the agreement in mid-June. There
will be no changes in the services currently offered at Methodist
Hospital or St. Agnes Medical Center until the agreement is
implemented.
To ensure a smooth transition for patients and their families,
Methodist Hospital will provide short-term acute care services,
including emergency and other hospital services, at the St.
Agnes campus, in addition to its main hospital, for up to
six months beginning in mid-June. During this transition period,
substantial renovations will be made at the existing Methodist
Hospital campus to accommodate additional patients. Plans
are to transfer the short-term acute care services and related
staff to Methodist Hospital by the end of December following
completion of the renovations.
The St. Agnes Continuing Care Center is committed to clinical
excellence in long-term acute care services and to providing
compassionate care with a unique spiritual orientation for
patients and their families. Services offered at the St. Agnes
Continuing Care Center will include a new joint venture with
Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals to provide long-term
intensive care services that meet a community need to treat
critically ill patients who require acute care services for
an extended period of time. In addition, the St. Agnes Continuing
Care Center also will provide skilled nursing, home health,
LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) and Vitas hospice services.
Mercy Health System and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals
have communicated their plans for enhancing healthcare in
South Philadelphia to their medical staffs and employees,
and will seek to re-deploy displaced employees to available
comparable positions within the two organizations wherever
possible.
“This new agreement confirms our commitment to meeting
the current and future healthcare needs of South Philadelphia
and the other communities our hospitals support in this region.
We will update the community on our progress in completing
the transition to the new vision over the next several months,”
said Tom Lewis, CEO of Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals
and Gavin Kerr, CEO of Mercy Health System, in a joint statement
issued today.
“This innovative new vision and significant investment
in restructuring healthcare services to meet the changing
needs of South Philadelphia confirm our long-term commitment
to the community. We look forward to the continued support
of our physicians, nurses, employees and community members
to make this new vision a success. Through this agreement
and with the addition of the new long-term intensive care
capabilities, we are convinced we are creating a sustainable
environment that will enable both hospitals to meet the broader
healthcare needs of the Philadelphia region,” they said.
Published: 4-13-2004
Media Only Contact:
Nan Myers
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Phone: 215/955-6300
|
