ChristianaCare has teamed up with Emerus to build three micro-hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the health system announced Tuesday.
The new facilities are slated to open in 2025, and construction is underway on one hospital at ChristianaCare's West Grove, Pennsylvania, location. Two others are set to be built in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and a spokesperson for ChristianaCare said they are aimed at filling the county's care gaps. Specific locations for those hospitals have not been chosen.
Related article: WellSpan Health, Emerus to build three neighborhood hospitals
The project is estimated to cost between $10 million and $15 million, depending on the final location of the facilities, according to the spokesperson for the Newark, Delaware-based health system. Each hospital is expected to care for approximately 15,000 patients per year, the spokesperson said.
Micro-hospitals typically offer low acuity emergency and inpatient care, as well as outpatient services. Each of the new facilities are expected to have about 10 inpatient beds and full service emergency departments as well as health and wellness centers with outpatient care, according to a news release from ChristianaCare.
Specific services for each location, like primary care or diagnostics, will be chosen later based on the health needs of the community.
ChristianaCare will have majority ownership in the joint venture, the spokesperson said. The three neighborhood hospitals will be staffed through that venture, while staff and resources are expected to be shared among the facilities.
Micro-hospital provider Emerus is also working on building three hospitals in Pennsylvania through a partnership with WellSpan Health that was announced in May. Those facilities are set to open by the end of 2024.