Following Jennersville Hospital’s closure and in anticipation of Brandywine Hospital’s exit, the Chester County EMS Council published a whitepaper on the status of local emergency medical care. More, it offers several mitigation suggestions to keep residents safe, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.

“We just really want to make sure we can get as many people aware as possible about what we’re facing and the concerns that we have coming here in just a couple of short weeks,” said EMS council president Chaz Brogan.

His viewpoint is sufficiently broad enough to view areas of concern, as the council comprises hospitals, emergency medical service agencies, and public safety organizations.

The report states that the remaining county hospitals will absorb more than 75 percent of the patient volume. This additional patient load will directly impact EMS operations, resulting in increased “wall time” (the time it takes for hospital staff to take over incoming patients from an emergency department

Among suggested solutions, EMS proposed reopening the hospitals or opening freestanding emergency departments. The creation of Chester County’s behavioral health facility, replacing Brandywine Hospital’s, is also seen as an ameliorating factor.

Read more about the Chester County EMS Council at WHYY.