Penn Medicine has signed a letter of intent to purchase the Brandywine Hospital campus from Reading-based Tower Health for Veterans Affairs services and emergency services for area residents.
Penn Medicine said it is working with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enhance care for veterans in the Philadelphia region through a plan to develop state-of-the-art facilities, according to two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signed in late June.
Plans include services for outpatient, acute mental health, and long-term care on the Brandywine campus, Penn Medicine said.
Penn Medicine said it is also evaluating the needs of the community to determine additional programming for the Brandywine campus beyond the partnership with the VA.
The health care system said emergency care has been identified early as a top priority for residents of the area, where Penn Medicine also operates Chester County Hospital, and leaders will work to develop a plan to provide that type of care.
Brandywine Hospital closed in early 2022.
The plans with the VA, the first publicly announced under new authorities granted by federal legislation, aim to set a new national model for the power of collaboration between the VA and academic medical centers.
“Caring for veterans of our nation’s military is a sacred responsibility,” said University of Pennsylvania Health System CEO Kevin B. Mahoney. “The PACT Act allows for a great synergy between Penn Medicine and the VA, and we hope to leverage this new model to set the standard for how our nation approaches military medicine. Although we cannot fully repay the debt of veterans’ service to protect our freedom, we can ensure they receive the world’s best medical care at every phase of their lives following their service.”
Both MOUs are made possible under the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which expands health care benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances including burn bits and Agent Orange during their service. Part of the law allows for the VA to enter into lease agreements with academic affiliates to provide health care resources to veterans, according to Penn Medicine.
The plan, which includes both the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center campus in Philadelphia and the Coatesville VA Medical Center, aims to have an impact on veterans’ services across a broad swath of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, a service area encompassing more than 100,000 veterans, Penn Medicine said.
Together, Penn Medicine and the VA will work to modernize aging VA facilities infrastructure, and develop new collaborations, while strengthening their existing clinical and research partnerships, Penn Medicine said.