PA Hospital Lacks Staff, Patients

By Walter F. Roche Jr.


A tiny 10 bed western Pennsylvania hospital has been cited for not functioning as a hospital because of its limited staff and hours.
According to a report from the state Health Department the Edgewood Surgical Hospital in Transfer, PA is only open five days a week and locks its doors on those days at 6 p.m. Transfer is located in Mercer County some 70 miles south of Erie.
Inspectors visited the facility in August and September and found there were no inpatients on either day. The survey was conducted to determine if the facility met minimum standards for participation in the federally funded Medicare and Medicaid programs/
"It was determined the facility failed to function as a hospital, as defined by the Social Security Act in that they in that they were not primarily engaged in providing services to inpatients," the report states.
in December 2018, the facility had one inpatient that stayed for a total of 76 hours and 37 minutes.
A review of hospital record showed that the average length of stay for patients was a little over three days. A further review showed where there were no nurses on duty for extended periods.
The surveyors cited a notice displayed at the facility stating that "A doctor is not present 24 hours a day seven days a week."
A review of monthly logs showed that in December of last year the facility had but one inpatient that stayed for a total of 76 hours and 37 minutes.
When questioned about the inpatient census numbers, a staffer acknowledged that in 43 weeks of a 52 week period there were no inpatients and hospital records listed the hospital as "closed" for those 43 weeks.
In a Plan of Correction filed in response to the inspection report, Edgewood officials promised increased staffing and to remain open 24 hours per day seven days a week.
The Edgewood report marks the second time in recent months that a Pennsylvania hospital has been cited for not functioning as a hospital. A Bucks County hospital, Barix Clinic. surrendered its license as a result of the report.
Inspectors found that that the Langhorne clinic had gone 150 days without having a single patient.
The hospital did not respond to requests for comment.


A tiny Pennsylvania hospital specializing in bariatric surgery has closed its doors and surrendered its license to state health officials.
Once part of a nationwide chain, the Bucks County 23 bed facility was part of Barix Clinics. The only remaining facility is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Known as the Forest Health Medical Center, the Pennsylvania facility has been the subject of critical inspection reports by state Health Department surveyors. In one recent report surveyors noted the facility had gone 150 days without a single patient.
The latest report on the Langhorne clinic is the notation that the facility "relinquished" its certificate of licensure.
A closure inspection was completed on June 19.
Several deficiencies had been cited when the facility underwent a Medicare re-certification in 2018. The Barix company signed a settlement agreement with the federal government in 2013 after investigators found that two HIV positive patients had their surgeries canceled when the test results came in.
The Bucks County hospital has posted a notice on its web site blaming the closure on the refusal of insurance companies to provide adequate patient coverage
"Over the past 15 years, insurance reimbursement to small specialty hospitals has declined significantly. After several years of losses we chose to close rather than drastically cut costs and compromise our unwavering commitment to providing the best patient care. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause," the notice states.
Following the critical inspection report the hospital did not file a plan of correction acceptable to the state.
"The facility failed to function as a hospital," the report states, noting that the average daily census ranged from 1.2 to 3.3 patients.
The building at 289 Middletown Boulevard in Langhorne has been sold to Capital Health Primary Care.
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