Community worked together to close crucial hospital sale

On Dec. 16, 2024, 17 days before I was sworn into Congress, I joined community leaders to discuss the potential closure of three local hospitals, Regional Hospital of Scranton, Moses Taylor Hospital and Wilkes-Barre General, after a deal between WoodBridge Healthcare and Community Health Systems fell through. It was clear that what was truly at stake was the future of local healthcare in Northeast Pennsylvania. I vowed to make protecting it a top priority.

The closure of these hospitals would have left hundreds of thousands of residents living in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding communities with fewer options for emergency care, longer travel times during medical crises and force patients to rely on already overburdened healthcare systems.

Between them, these facilities provided care for 950,000 patients in 2023 alone. The Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital handle 33,000 emergency room visits and 2,000 births every year. Without these hospitals, the added strain on remaining facilities could require Pennsylvania residents to travel longer distances, including across state lines into New York or New Jersey, to access a labor and delivery unit with the capacity to serve them.

Beyond patient care, thousands of good-paying healthcare jobs were on the line, jobs that support families, sustain local economies and anchor our region. Access to local healthcare depends on the doctors, nurses, caregivers, technicians, therapists, custodial staff and administrative professionals who show up every day in these hospitals.

That’s why my team and I have been proud to play a role in the locally united effort between the hospitals, state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, the governor’s team, and local foundations to guarantee the doors to these hospitals open and healthcare stays within reach for our communities. It required relentless coordination across every level of government and a shared commitment to put people over politics. Everyone involved knew one thing: failure was not an option.

Over the past year, we have gone through weekly battles and sustained negotiations, and now, we are finally at the finish line.

On Wednesday, we got the news we had been waiting for. The ownership change allowing Tenor Health to assume control was officially finalized and approved, guaranteeing all three hospitals will remain open.

This outcome is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of local, state and community partners who came together to make sure a deal got done. It also reflects the selflessness of the workers who continued to show up to care for their neighbors despite instability and uncertainty. Up until Wednesday, they faced real questions about their own futures, yet they chose their patients over personal job security.

Their dedication to their patients and to their work is appreciated by the entire region. The tens of thousands of people who look to these hospitals for medical care and help can sleep easy knowing doctors, nurses, and medical professionals will still be locally available to take care of them.

This situation has not been an easy one, but I did not take this job to solve easy problems. For me, this was about one thing, and one thing only. Our people.

This sale means stability for families who rely on these hospitals for emergency services, specialty care and routine treatment. It means healthcare workers can continue serving the communities they live in. It means patients will not have to travel farther during moments when every minute matters. These outcomes are felt not just in hospital hallways, but around kitchen tables and across neighborhoods throughout our region.

To state Rep. Kosierowski and the governor’s team for your continued collaboration to find a solution: Thank you. Your partnership during this effort is greatly appreciated.

To the local foundations who have been involved in this with us from the beginning, covering the operating losses to keep the hospitals open: Thank you. The hospitals would not have made it to where we are now without your support.

To all those who have worked through this uncertainty and have continued to take care of those in need: Thank you. Your tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed.

While we have made it across this hurdle, the responsibility to protect local healthcare does not end here. I remain committed to working with state leaders, healthcare providers and community partners to ensure these hospitals remain strong and responsive to the needs of our region. This experience has shown what is possible when we come together with purpose and urgency, and it should serve as a model for how we confront future challenges that affect the health and well-being of our people.