Riddle Hospital in Media has added 50 beds on three floors anticipating a rush of patients from the closure of Crozer-Chester Medical Center, which is only five miles away, write Stephanie Stahl and Brad Nau for CBS News Philadelphia.
“We’re ready to go,” said Shelly Buck, the president of Riddle Hospital. “We have been preparing for months now for this. I’d say all departments, not only the hospitals, but the ambulatory practices, the outpatient imaging, outpatient labs. They’re all going to be impacted.”
The most immediate impact will likely be felt in Riddle’s emergency department so the hospital is adding community health workers to make sure new patients receive support services.
“If patients were to come to our doors today, we have spaces to take care of them. We have staff available. We are getting more staff as we speak. We have been constantly planning and preparing for this.”
Riddle is owned by Main Line Health, which also owns Lankenau Medical Center and Bryn Mawr Hospital.
Main Line Health will send the first wave of Crozer patients to Lankenau and Bryn Mawr to free up space at Riddle, which is expecting the biggest volume of Crozer patients.
Find out more about Riddle Hospital’s patient surge preparation at CBS News Philadelphia.
