PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jefferson Health is slated to close four pediatric practices in North and Northeast Philadelphia and Bucks County and sell three others to private practice this summer.
In a statement, Jefferson acknowledged there will be closures on June 30 and that True North, a private firm, will take over three other facilities. They did not answer questions about layoffs or plans to ensure care for existing patients.
Carla Le’coin, a registered nurse at Einstein’s North Philadelphia hospital for 38 years, said about 14,000 children in North and Northeast Philadelphia will lose a continuum of care.
“Just this weekend, I had patients that were just like, ‘I’m gonna bring my baby here,’ and I’m like, ‘Here doesn’t exist anymore,’” Le’coin said.
“They were asking, ‘Well, where am I supposed to go?’ And there was frustration, and they were upset, which was valid, and I was feeling the sting of that upset, even though it wasn’t my fault, but I was just there, and I can understand how they feel like they’re being left behind.”
She said nurses have put together a list of caregivers so their patients aren’t left unsettled.
“We made our own little list. We kind of put something together of pediatricians that we know of that are good, and that either they have taken their children to, or other patients go to. … and just trying to do our best to cobble something together so they don’t feel left alone to make those decisions,” she said.
In a statement, a Jefferson spokesperson said, “While we respect the right of our nurses to share their views, it is important to be clear and accurate: we have negotiated in good faith throughout this process and have put forward proposals that are fair, competitive, and responsible. It’s disappointing to see the PASNAP resort to misinformation and disinformation to the detriment of our nurses and the broader community.
We remain committed to reaching an agreement that is equitable for both our nurses and our mission-driven organization, and we continue to be prepared to engage constructively at the bargaining table. Our focus has not changed—delivering safe, high-quality care to the communities we serve and ensuring the long-term stability of our health system.
Several of our pediatric practices have transitioned to True North Pediatrics to ensure families continue to have access to high-quality care. True North is actively working to integrate patients, physicians, and staff. Operations will discontinue at Holland Pediatrics and the Pediatric and Adolescent Ambulatory Center at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital on June 30, 2026. We remain committed to supporting access to pediatric services across the region and continue to provide substantial pediatric care through our primary care network, Urgent Care centers, Emergency Departments, and Reilly Children’s Hospital.”