Hahnemann plans to close this fall

After 171 years as a staple in the Philly medical world and the North Broad skyline, Hahnemann Hospital is expected to close this fall, according to multiple reports.

The 500-bed hospital on 230 North Broad announced the news Wednesday, saying that the will be winding down operations and officially closing in September, Inquirer.com first reported. Officials with the hospital cited financial difficulties as the reason for the closure.

Hahnemann employs 2,500 workers and serves as the Center City teaching hospital for Drexel University’s medical school. It’s owned by American Academic Health System, who purchased the hospital and North Philly’s St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in 2018.

In April of this year, American Academic discussed their hopes of saving the hospital, which was losing $1.5 to $2 million a month, according to a Philly Business Journal report. Around the same time, they laid off 175 employees, including nurses, service employees, and non-union workers.

City officials Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley sent a letter to Joel Freedman, founder of American Academic, Wednesday. In it, they urged Freedman not to go ahead with the closure on the basis that the doesn’t have authorization from the health commissioner, Inquirer.com reported.

Hospital employees and supporters are protesting the news this afternoon, according to 6abc.