Formation 1893-1990 In 1893, the 48-bed Chester Hospital opened to serve the growing population of
Chester, Pennsylvania. Ten years later, the J. Lewis Crozer Homeopathic Hospital opened nearby in
Upland, Pennsylvania. In 1958, the J. Lewis Crozer Homeopathic Hospital was renamed Crozer Hospital and in 1963 merged with Chester Hospital to officially become the Crozer-Chester Medical Center. Plans for a new hospital in
Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, were drawn in 1925 and the Delaware County Hospital was chartered. It opened to the public on July 1, 1927, with 56 beds and 11 bassinets. The hospital was renamed Delaware County Memorial Hospital in 1959. In 1970, the Crozer-Chester Medical Center expanded its campus by taking over the grounds of the
Crozer Theological Seminary. This school originated as a
normal school, built by the textile manufacturer
John Price Crozer and was used as an Army hospital during the
American Civil War and as part of the
Pennsylvania Military Academy. The Crozer Theological Seminary served as an
American Baptist Church school and trained seminarians for entry into the Baptist ministry from 1869 to 1970.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a student at the school from 1948 to 1951 and graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity degree. In 1970 the school moved to
Rochester, New York, in a merger that formed the
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.
Crozer-Keystone 1990-2016 Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Delaware County Memorial Hospital formally merged in 1990 to create Crozer-Keystone Health System, making it the largest provider of
healthcare services in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Springfield Hospital (est. 1960) joined the system later that year. In 1992, the health system acquired Sacred Heart Medical Center (est. 1983) in Chester, Pennsylvania and renamed it Community Hospital. Finally, Taylor Hospital (est. 1910) joined Crozer-Keystone Health System in 1997 as its newest member. In November 2013, Crozer-Keystone Health System joined
Noble Health Alliance.
Abington Memorial Hospital,
Aria Health, and
Einstein Healthcare Network formed the alliance in July 2013. The initiative was intended to encourage collaboration between the four health systems in order to provide Philadelphia and its suburbs with more comprehensive care. In April 2016, the board of managers of Noble Health Alliance announced its decision to dissolve the organization.
Prospect Medical Holdings and closure 2016-2025 In January 2016, Crozer-Keystone entered into a definitive agreement for the health system to be acquired by
Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. On July 1, 2016, Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. completed its acquisition of Crozer-Keystone Health System after receiving all necessary regulatory approval. In September 2020, the system's name was changed from Crozer-Keystone Health System to Crozer Health. The health system was placed under financial stress during the
COVID-19 pandemic due to supply chain issues and rising costs, causing government spenders to account for 60% of the hospital's income. On February 11, 2022,
Christiana Care Health System announced the intent to acquire Crozer Health from Prospect Medical Holdings; however, this was later revoked. Prospect Medical was sued by
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry in October 2024 over mismanagement and neglect of the Crozer Health System, citing "distribution of at least $457 million in dividends to its investors [funded] through a $1.12 billion dollar loan" while cuts were made to the service. On January 12, 2025, Prospect Medical filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing assets and liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion. The company cited struggles with rising interest costs and high debt. Crozer Health System was placed into
receivership in February 2025;
FTI Consulting was chosen as the receiver by the courts and took over management of the system temporarily. The health system was finally closed in late April and early May 2025. == Hospitals and facilities ==