After 138 years, the Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Philadelphia will shut down all health care services next month

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The Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Philadelphia, a nonprofit home health care provider, is shutting its doors after a 138-year run. All services, including hospice and palliative care, will cease Oct. 28.

Complete details on reasons for the closure, and the long-term effects on patients and employees, are scarce at the moment, but in a statement on its website, the organization said “unsustainable financial losses” led to the decision.

Nonprofit leaders said they are working to transition patients and families to new placements and care providers.

The Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Philadelphia, or VNA, was founded in 1886 to bring nursing and health care services to homebound patients, making it one of the oldest providers in the region.

“We are grateful for the dedication and compassion of the VNA staff, whose impact has been deeply felt by individuals and families across our region,” said organization leaders on the website.

The VNA was acquired by the Public Health Management Corporation in 2022. Patty Griffin, chief communications officer, said all patients and families have been notified of the closure.

The VNA’s home health care program has about 239 patients as of last week. Another 54 patients are being cared for in hospice and palliative care.

In a statement, PHMC said a competitive home health market, “where for-profit players have consolidated and affiliated with hospital systems,” has made it difficult for nonprofit providers like the VNA to survive financially.

“Despite VNA’s long-standing legacy as the leading nonprofit in home health, hospice and palliative care, it could not overcome these complex market challenges,” officials said.

Revenue from VNA’s programs and services fell from about $19 million in calendar year 2021 to $16.5 million in calendar year 2022, according to tax documents.

The nonprofit also experienced a significant drop in contributions and grants in the same year-to-year period — collecting over $8 million in 2021 and just $1.7 million in 2022.

Despite reducing expenses by nearly $5 million, the savings were not enough to make up for the recent revenue losses, tax filings show.

The VNA employed at least 275 people in 2022, according to documents. Organization officials said VNA staff who will lose employment because of the closure may be eligible for positions within PHMC.