Updated: 10:30 a.m., Monday April 1st
Early Monday morning, Prime Healthcare Services, after reading our story, sent us a second statement.
“There is no sale proceeding at this time.”
There was no additional information provided.
Original Story:
Reports coming out of Bristol say Lower Bucks Hospital, owned and operated by Prime Healthcare, was sold to another company with an official announcement coming soon.
The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk about hospital business in a public forum, said hospital employees were told of the sale Thursday.
The word began to circulate of the reported sale late Thursday. The sources said there’s been plenty of worker activity with the disposal of furniture and the removal of Prime Healthcare related signage.
A locally elected official who asked to remain anonymous, said rumors of a sale have been going on now for months.
In December, nurses at Lower Bucks Hospital (LBH) and Suburban Hospital, another Prime Care owned facility, were trying to negotiate a new contract. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on the potential sale of LBH to a Los Angeles based investment bank – Xnergy. The reported sale would also include two other Philadelphia region hospitals; Suburban Community and Roxborough Memorial Hospital.
A state official said earlier this morning, “rumors” have persisted for months about the potential sale of the hospital, but they had yet to hear anything about a sale being completed.
Prime owns 44 hospitals and 300 outpatient facilities across 12 states.
According to the American Hospital Directory, LBH has experienced large operating losses, as well as the other two Philadelphia area hospitals, combined for a more than 40 percent drop in discharges between 2018 and 2022.
Communications to Prime Pennsylvania Spokeswoman Michelle Aliprantis were not returned as of Sunday afternoon.
As of Sunday night, Aliprantis sent Lower Bucks Source the following statement: “Prime Healthcare’s mission is to always do what’s best for our communities and patients, however, we do not comment on strategic merger and acquisition initiatives.”
Striking nurses at LBH are demanding better healthcare and reduced patient loads. Nurses left their job sites to strike for five days during the Christmas holiday season to make their point and grievances heard. It is unknown if a new labor contract was ever signed by the strikers.
Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) Spokesperson Megan Gorman told PhillyBurbs.com about the potential sale and she hoped state legislators would step in to stop the sale of the three critical care facilities to an operation converting them to behavioral healthcare entities for the health and well-being of the patient communities they serve.
She said on Saturday that she didn’t hear anything about LBH being sold but “let me check with our people on the ground.”
Gorman declined to comment on whether or not LBH nurses signed a new contract with Prime Healthcare.
Interestingly enough for behavioral health advocates, the sale of the hospital to an owner looking to change the facility to a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week mental health facility could be a win-win. An opening of a crisis center in Doylestown is planned and will be operated by Lenape Valley Foundation. There are only about 36 adult hospital beds in Bucks County – LBH and Quakertown Hospital – available for adults currently. Most residents seeking mental health inpatient treatment seek admission at Horsham Clinic in Montgomery County.
Updates and new information as it comes in.
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