US-based hospital group Prime Healthcare has confirmed initiating plans to transition two of its Pennsylvania hospitals to non-profit status under the ownership of 501(c)(3) public charity Prime Healthcare Foundation.
The conversion is expected to take place by the third quarter of this year. It will unify all Prime Healthcare hospitals in Pennsylvania as non-profit entities, aiming to better address community needs.
Roxborough Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia and Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol are the two facilities slated to become not-for-profit members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation.
Acquired by Prime Healthcare in 2012, Roxborough Memorial is a 131-bed community hospital that has more than 625 employees and volunteers, along with 249 physicians.
Founded in 1954, Lower Bucks Hospital was acquired by Prime Healthcare in late 2012 and has over 225 physicians and more than 650 employees and volunteers.
The latest move will bring all of Prime Healthcare’s Pennsylvania hospitals, which also includes Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton, under its umbrella.
Suburban Community Hospital was acquired by the Foundation in 2016. It is tailoring its services to focus on emergency care, featuring a round-the-clock emergency department with at least ten inpatient beds.
The transition is expected to enhance care coordination among the three hospitals. It is also in line with Pennsylvania's policy initiatives promoting not-for-profit hospital ownership.
Prime Healthcare Foundation currently manages 14 hospitals across multiple US states, including California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, Rhode Island, and Ohio.
With assets exceeding $1.3bn, the Foundation has provided more than $3bn in charity care and supports various initiatives to improve community well-being.
Prime Healthcare Region II CEO and chief medical officer Sonia Mehta said: “As not-for-profit healthcare providers, we look forward to engaging the community to develop community health needs assessments that will further improve the health and well-being of all those we serve.”
Prime Healthcare said that it has invested nearly $100m in improvements to its Pennsylvania facilities since its acquisition.
These enhancements include upgraded IT infrastructure, such as EPIC system, new emergency rooms, intensive care units, and lab and radiology equipment across all three hospitals.
