Local members of SEIU Healthcare PA will partner with advocates to host a town hall on Thursday in Scranton regarding the status of Regional Hospital.
Union members will be joined by Reps. Bridget Kosierowski (D- Waverly) and Kyle Mullins (D- Olyphant), as well as community members and patient advocates.
Community Health Systems (CHS) failed to sell Regional Hospital, along with Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre’s General Hospital after a deal with Woodbridge Healthcare Inc. fell through in November. The failed deal left the fate of the hospitals in limbo.
As of December, Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Wilkes-Barre) was confident that CHS could retain General Hospital. The discussion about the future involves only the Scranton facilities, which operate under a single license.
Advocates hoped to announce a new deal by the end of 2024. They feared without finding a
buyer fast, CHS would close Regional Hospital's doors.
The hospital’s closure would cause fewer patient beds in NEPA, longer ER waits, pose a risk to maternal healthcare and threaten local jobs, according to the union.
“Regional hospital is where life begins for so many Lackawanna families,” said lab technician Sue Wiggins. “Saving Regional means much more than just keeping the lights on, though. Once a sale goes through, we’re going to need to work with the new owners to ensure that we can deliver the highest quality care possible, preserve good union jobs and keep Regional accountable to our community for decades to come.”
Kosierowski said negotiations are ongoing. She is not aware of a new buyer.
“There's still a lot of focus on keeping those doors open, which I'm convinced they will,” she said.
Kosierowski lauded the people keeping the operations moving smoothly during the confusion.
“CHS is open and seeing patients and running a program,” she said. “Those [are] great people, the professionals there.”
Regional Hospital Town Hall
WHAT: A public town hall about the current status of Regional Hospital
WHEN: Thursday, March 13 at 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Hilton in Scranton in the Electric City Ballroom
Organizers will announce the launch of their “Coalition to Protect Regional Care and Jobs” at the town hall. The coalition will publish an open letter to potential owners, encouraging collaboration to, “improve care and expand services; preserve good union jobs; and address patient and community concerns,” according to SEIU.
They encourage those interested in attending the town hall to RSVP on a website dedicated to saving the hospital.
“Regional Hospital is critical to our community and to the healthcare of hundreds of thousands of local families. We must save our community hospital for this and future generations of Scranton area families,” the website says.
