Penn Medicine says ‘no’ to buying Brandywine Hospital from Tower Health

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The University of Pennsylvania Health System has terminated its agreement with Tower Health to buy Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville. According to a statement from Penn Medicine, the hospital system is ending its agreement because of the inability to “build out the infrastructure for the project.”

“However, this project is of vital importance for both veterans in our region and community members who live in the Coatesville area, and we are working to secure a different property nearby to execute this vision and move ahead with these important partnerships,” the Penn statement reads.

Penn had plans of delivering VA medical services at the Brandywine facility through its partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. While the hospital had no intent of reopening inpatient beds, there was interest in addressing broader community health needs at the property.

Since the closure of Tower’s Brandywine and Jennersville hospitals, large portions of Chester County have become an acute care desert. ChristianaCare’s acquisition of the Jennersville property in July 2022 and Penn Medicine’s decision to sign a letter of intent to buy Brandywine in June 2023 were seen as a sign of a more stable future for Chesco residents’ healthcare.

In a statement to WHYY News, a spokesperson for Tower Health expressed optimism that Brandywine would not remain an empty shell.

“The Brandywine property has previously received significant interest from a variety of organizations,” Tower spokesperson said. “We will reengage in discussions with these companies, along with others, to secure a new owner for the property.”

Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Eric Roe released a joint statement on Friday saying county officials will continue to support Penn’s plans to find an alternative location for a Chester County facility.

“We are disappointed that the Brandywine Hospital property did not meet Penn Medicine’s requirements, but we are excited that Penn Medicine remains committed to bringing emergency and acute care back to the Coatesville area, as well as expanding care for veterans through the agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,” the commissioners said.

The commissioners said they are committed to ensuring everyone in the greater Coatesville area has access to equitable health care options.