Physicians share concerns as Steward hospital prepares to close

Physicians say the pending closure of Dallas-based Steward Health Care’s Sharon (Pa.) Regional Hospital has strained care coordination for patients seeking care at the facility, according to a Dec. 24 report from NBC affiliate WFMJ.

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Sharon Regional Hospital is accepting and stabilizing patients in its emergency department before transferring them to other facilities, the report said. 

Chinedu Igwe, MD, a cardiologist at the hospital, expressed concern over the care strategy. 

“Some people who are sick are not stable enough to survive an hour-road drive or be able to get the chopper and fly them down to a bigger center,” Dr. Igwe told WFMJ; her concerns are shared by Brandon Mikolich, MD, another cardiologist at the hospital. “You just can’t transfer a patient who’s dying.”

Steward Health Care filed WARN notices for 848 Sharon Regional Hospital employees after submitting a closure notice on Dec. 16, with plans to fully shut the hospital down by Jan. 6.

Becker’s has reached out to the hospital for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available. 

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