Hahnemann University Hospital officially closed its emergency department Friday, the latest in a series of moves by the Center City Philadelphia medical center as it lurches toward a full closure, NBCPhiladelphia.com reported. Admissions to the emergency department ended at 7 a.m. EDT on Friday. Last month, the hospital had already stopped admitting patients from the emergency department into the hospital itself. The decision by Hahnemann parent company Philadelphia Academic Health System (PAHS) to close the hospital drew the ire of state and city leaders, as well as patients and doctors, but the company has continued to move forward with its closure plan. In July, PAHS filed for chapter 11 protection, saying that it had liabilities between $100-$500 million, with only $10-$50 million in assets. At a bankruptcy auction earlier this month, a team of six local health systems placed a winning bid of $55 million for the hospital's hundreds of residency slots. By August 23, the hospital plans to shutter its lab, radiology, blood bank and pharmacy services, PAHS spokesman Kevin Feeley said. Hahnemann is slated to fully close on or around Sept. 6.
