Crozer partners with Nemours to bolster neonatal, pediatric services

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Crozer Health, the four-hospital system in Delaware County, is partnering with Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley, to bolster its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and pediatric cardiology services.

With more than 95 locations across Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Nemours Children’s Health already has a large regional footprint.

“As a nationally recognized leader in pediatric care, we are proud to partner with Crozer Health to enhance their NICU and cardiology services. We are excited about the possibilities that this presents for the children and families of Delaware County,” said Mark R. Marcantano, Regional President of Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley, in Wednesday’s press release.

The partnership involves embedding Nemours’ pediatric cardiology services within Crozer and providing Crozer patients with Nemours’ NICU services.

“Nemours is a world-class organization known for its expertise in pediatric care, and this affiliation will ensure that we can continue to provide the highest quality pediatric services available,” Crozer CEO Anthony Esposito said in a statement.

Crozer has been under significant pressure in recent months. Crozer-Chester Medical Center, the system’s flagship hospital, both lost — and temporarily regained the accreditation of its surgical residency program. The status of the program is up in the air.

Prospect Medical Holdings, Crozer’s parent company, initially sued the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for causing a “rush to the exits” — but dropped the lawsuit as it focuses on a formal appeal to ACGME’s decision to strip the hospital’s surgical residency program of its accreditation.

Prospect’s 270-day window to sell the financially struggling Crozer kicked off on Feb. 1.

According to the legal agreement reached with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the Foundation for Delaware County, Prospect was required to submit to the state a list of non-profit entities interested in an acquisition on Wednesday.