Advocates in Chester, Pennsylvania, gathered on April 6, 2024, urging community members to maintain hope and demand accountability from private equity firms in light of significant health care challenges. The Chester chapter of One Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization focused on community empowerment, organized the event following the collapse of the Crozer Health system.
Prospect Medical Holdings Inc., a California-based for-profit company, acquired the former Crozer Keystone Health System in 2016. By 2025, it had closed all four hospitals, declared bankruptcy, and sold off remaining assets, leaving residents in Delaware County facing severe health care shortages. Over the past year, One Pennsylvania has knocked on 1,300 doors in Chester to gather community concerns, many of which were voiced during the rally.
Chester Mayor Stefan Roots highlighted the dire situation, noting that there is currently not a single practicing physician in the city. He mentioned the city’s preparations for renewing its contract with the VMSC ambulance service, which is set to expire in April. This service, previously provided by Crozer Health, has become crucial for residents. Roots praised the current ambulance service, stating, “They gave us a whole lot more than what Crozer could give us,” emphasizing the importance of having ambulances equipped for critical care, including blood transfusions.
Roots also discussed recent meetings with representatives from Chariot Equities and Allaire Health Services, who purchased the Crozer-Chester Medical Center, which had been closed by Prospect. He expressed cautious optimism about their plans to restore health services to the area, noting, “If they accomplish what they are looking to accomplish, it will reimagine how health care should be delivered in communities like ours.”
The path to reopening Crozer-Chester Medical Center is still in the early stages and is expected to take several years. Roots acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, “It’s going to take some time. It’s going to take some money, and all we can do right here is readjust in the meantime.”
Community members voiced their concerns about the current health care landscape. Andrea Robinson, a leader with the Chester chapter of One Pennsylvania, stressed the need for accessible medical facilities closer than Philadelphia or Delaware. “We are truly in need of medical services,” she stated, reflecting the sentiments of many residents who have had to seek care outside of Chester since Crozer’s closure.
The impact of the health care crisis was underscored by residents like Shaheer Madeehah, who spoke about his personal struggles with medical conditions and the challenges posed by the lack of local services. “I fear for what would happen if I have a seizure,” he shared, recounting the story of a 95-year-old friend who faced delays in receiving care after an emergency.
During the rally, Dawn Pierce expressed a mix of heartbreak and hope, emphasizing the urgent need for local health services. “Minutes matter in an emergency,” she stated, recounting her own experiences with respiratory issues and the difficulties faced by families forced to travel for urgent care. Pierce criticized the prioritization of profits by private equity firms, stating, “When shareholders’ dividends and margin profits become the primary focus, communities like ours are left asking, ‘Where’s the responsibility to the people who depend on these facilities?’”
She urged for structural accountability in health care, calling for stronger state oversight when private equity firms acquire community hospitals, and insisted on the necessity of community representation in decision-making processes. “Health care is not just another asset class,” Pierce concluded. “It is public safety. At the end of the day, a ZIP code should never, ever determine whether you live or die.”
As Chester faces a critical period in its health care journey, community members remain determined to advocate for the services they need, emphasizing the importance of local accountability and access to emergency care.
