A new bill introduced in the Legislature would require state approval for hospital sales or a hospital system could be sold, writes Ford Turner for The Morning Call. 

The proposed bill is welcomed by a number of Chester County residents who recently had to face the realities of having two local hospitals – Brandywine and Jennersville – closing within a month of each other. That made critical health care services harder to reach for many locals. 

Steve Hanley, a 70-year-old Honeybrook Township resident who had stents implanted at Brandywine Hospital as well as his shoulder rebuilt after a motorcycle accident, is one of the supporters. 

“Free enterprise is one thing,” said Hanley. “But to cut people off from such a major area is not right. To all of a sudden just remove that service.” 

Family practitioner and president of the Chester County Medical Society Dr. Bruce Colley noted that after the two hospitals closed, planning was complicated for patients who needed surgeries, X-rays, and other crucial services. 

As a result, he believes that the bill should be considered. 

“I don’t like to interfere with free enterprise,” said Colley. “But a hospital is different. It is a public trust.” 

Read more about the new bill in The Morning Call.