Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital closes inpatient behavioral health unit

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Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital shuttered its inpatient behavioral health unit on Oct. 26.

“While there is a need for these services in our community, operational and financial challenges make it difficult for us to continue doing so,” Mercy Fitzgerald spokesperson Jason Griffith said in a statement.

The cuts to those services at the 178-bed hospital in Darby is a devastating blow to health care in Delco and Southwest Philadelphia. Mercy Fitzgerald serves more than 186,000 patients each year.

Behavioral health care in the suburbs of Philadelphia have been in a tailspin. State inspectors cited Prime Healthcare’s Suburban Community Hospital in Montgomery County for closing its psychiatric services without notice in 2023.

Chester County lost its only inpatient behavioral health facility in 2022, due to the closure of Tower Health’s Brandywine Hospital.

Griffith said the hospital, which is a part of the Trinity Health System, exhausted all available options before it made the decision to close services.

“We are committed to helping our patients find the care they need and will work closely with community providers to ensure a smooth transition,” Griffith said.

A spokesperson for Delaware County declined to comment and deferred all questions to the hospital.