PHILADELPHIA – Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) and Penn Medicine announced today that Mercy Catholic Medical Center – Mercy Philadelphia Campus has officially transitioned to the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar, an innovative and integrated public health campus designed to serve the West and Southwest Philadelphia communities.
Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic announced in early 2020 that it was transitioning this campus away from inpatient operations and shifting toward an approach better equipped to address the current and future needs of its neighbors.
Effective today, PHMC is the owner and operator of the property, with Penn Medicine managing the hospital emergency department, inpatient services, and hospital-based behavioral health programming as a remote location for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), known as Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania – Cedar Avenue. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation join PHMC and Penn Medicine as Coalition partners for the transformation.
The PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar is founded on the guiding principle of providing high-quality, community-informed, patient-centered health care and social services supporting the needs of the facility’s West and Southwest Philadelphia neighbors. The Coalition’s goals for the new public health campus focus on health equity and aim to provide the community with access to primary and behavioral health care, emergency services, acute care services, substance use treatment, and other social support services.
“With the opening of the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar, today marks an exciting day for the future of public and community health in West and Southwest Philadelphia,” said Richard J. Cohen, President and CEO of PHMC. “We know that the need for equitable, integrated and collaborative care has never been more critical, especially in light of this year’s COVID-19 pandemic. Together with our Coalition partners, we’ve embarked on an effort to bring integrated service delivery on and around this campus, informed by the community and area partners and stakeholders.”
In addition to managing emergency department care, Penn Medicine will provide onsite inpatient care as HUP – Cedar Avenue, leveraging Penn Medicine’s downtown Philadelphia hospitals’ clinical services and expertise, as well as telemedicine consultation. Emergency department services continued uninterrupted throughout the transition.
“Our commitment to the West Philadelphia community is a longstanding effort that has been brought to life not only through care provided in our University City hospitals and outpatient clinics but also through community partnerships outside the walls of our facilities,” said Kevin B. Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. “Now, we are proud to offer care at a new anchor institution closer to where our patients live, and to work with partners who share our commitment to reimagining the way we care for communities and ensure health equity, from children to the oldest among us.”
The transition allows the talented Mercy Philadelphia workforce to continue its vital work engaging with and caring for the local community: All eligible employees have been offered employment with Penn Medicine with the same compensation and full benefits, and Penn Medicine plans to hire for a significant number of positions over the next few months to provide additional staffing in the facility. Penn Medicine is hosting a job fair April 14 for open positions at the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar with support from Coalition partners.
Coalition partners have been working closely with elected officials and community leaders over the past several months in preparation for today’s transition to ensure continuity of care for patients who depend on the facility for routine and emergency care.
“Today marks an important milestone for community health in West and Southwest Philadelphia,” said City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. “Since the plan to transform Mercy was first announced, PHMC and the campus Coalition partners have demonstrated their commitment to improving quality of life for individuals and families in our neighborhoods. I look forward to our continued collaboration on how we can collectively serve our community’s needs.”
The campus vision includes on-site PHMC programming, to include physical and behavioral health care and health promotion services. CHOP is exploring the option of offering inpatient psychiatric care and crisis response services, including a 20+-bed inpatient behavioral health unit, crisis center and crisis support unit for children.
“Children throughout the U.S. are experiencing a behavioral health crisis, and we know the pandemic will have a lasting impact on them. Expanding our services is a high priority so we can provide timely, appropriate access to the treatment they deserve,” said Madeline Bell, President and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “These services will allow us to provide a higher level of care for children with acute psychiatric needs.”
In addition, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation will support the engagement of community-based, non-profit social services that address key issues, such as health and wellness education, food insecurity, and other activities.
Since the Coalition partnership announcement in September 2020, partner organizations have engaged in a process of meeting with community stakeholders and leaders to identify partnerships and understand key issues in the community, including COVID-19, poverty, and violence.
“We firmly believe this Coalition will deliver the right mix of services and care to the community for years to come, and we thank our partners for ensuring a smooth transition for our colleagues, patients and neighbors,” said Chris Cullom, President of Mercy Catholic Medical Center. “Our team will continue to provide community-focused initiatives and remain engaged with elected officials, religious and community leaders and area residents to address health and wellness of those in need, aligning with our mission of Mercy.”
In the past few weeks, Penn Medicine and Mercy Catholic Medical Center have partnered with local faith and community leaders in hosting vaccination clinics in West and Southwest Philadelphia. The effort has provided COVID-19 vaccinations to more than 2,800 Philadelphians. In addition, community engagement efforts have included discussion on key community programmatic needs, including outpatient behavioral and mental health, food security, workforce development, health education and youth mentoring. PHMC and partners will continue to explore community partnerships and will establish a community advisory board to help inform the process.
Complementary campus services and offerings will be announced as plans are solidified in the coming months.
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About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that builds healthier communities through partnerships with government, foundations, businesses, and community-based organizations. It fulfills its mission to improve the health of the community by providing outreach, health promotion, education, research, planning, technical assistance, and direct services.
PHMC has served the Greater Philadelphia region since 1972 as a facilitator, developer, intermediary, manager, advocate and innovator in the field of public health. With more than 3,000 employees, hundreds of programs and a network of subsidiary organizations, PHMC serves 350,000 clients annually and is one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation.
About Penn Medicine
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $8.9 billion enterprise.
The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report’s survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation’s top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $496 million awarded in the 2020 fiscal year.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities include: the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center—which are recognized as one of the nation’s top “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report—Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; and Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is powered by a talented and dedicated workforce of more than 44,000 people. The organization also has alliances with top community health systems across both Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, creating more options for patients no matter where they live. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2020, Penn Medicine provided more than $563 million to benefit our community.
About Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic
Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic is a Regional Health System that includes Mercy Catholic Medical Center – Mercy Fitzgerald Campus in Darby, Pa.; Nazareth Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia; Saint Francis Healthcare in Wilmington, Del.; St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pa., and home health and LIFE programs throughout the region. These entities include hospitals, associated clinics, medical offices, specialized facilities, affiliated institutions and foundations serving together in the spirit of the Gospel as a compassionate and transforming healing presence within their communities. Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic is a member of Trinity Health.
About Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation’s first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Children’s Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 595-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu
About the Independence Blue Cross Foundation
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation (Foundation) is a private, corporate charitable foundation that was established in 2011 with a mission to lead sustainable solutions that improve the health and well-being of the community. The Foundation has awarded $48M in grants to nonprofits and academic institutions in the southeastern Pennsylvania region whose programs and services address access to care, the health care workforce, and nonprofit sustainability. Learn more by visiting our website: www.ibxfoundation.org. Connect with the Independence Blue Cross Foundation on Twitter at @ibxfdn.
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