New York based Kaleida Health, the current owner of the Bradford Regional Medical Center, says Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, or LECOM, will acquire the Bradford hospital.
In a press release shared Thursday with WPSU, Kaleida said that under LECOM the 95-bed skilled nursing facility will stay open, but the 20-bed inpatient unit and emergency department will still close. Kaleida also plans to work with LECOM to continue primary and speciality outpatient care.
Last week, Kaleida announced they had submitted a closure notice to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the Bradford hospital, pointing to the region’s declining population and federal funding cuts.
Kaleida officials said the hospital in Bradford has lost an average of $10 million every year since 2021, and that they tried to convert the hospital to an outpatient emergency department without inpatient beds. But, Pennsylvania law doesn't allow for that. Kaleida planned to end inpatient, emergency and long-term skilled nursing care, but continue primary care and specific specialty clinics.
State Rep. Martin Causer called the announcement "really positive news" Thursday on social media, but said there are still hurdles ahead.
"Our focus now is finding a solution to keep the emergency department open," Causer said. "It’s imperative for our community to continue having quick access to lifesaving emergency care."
Bradford City's police chief Michael Ward posted to social media last week in the wake of that announcement, saying the closure of the emergency department is "extremely concerning."
"It will create longer transport times for officers and EMS, delay medical treatment for victims and individuals in crisis, and keep officers out of service for longer periods while traveling to more distant facilities," Ward said. "Ultimately, this has the potential to impact police response times and the overall level of service we can provide to the community."
LECOM's acquisition of the Bradford Regional Medical Center is pending regulatory approvals and negotiations with Kaleida.
You can see Kaleida's press release below. (If you don't see the document, try refreshing your webpage.):
