ASTON, PA — With a price tag in the millions, ChristianaCare has announced Aston, PA, as the location of its newest up-and-coming neighborhood hospital and health care center.
The latest “micro-hospital” represents a $50 million investment, which includes the acquisition, hospital and health center located at 700 Turner Industrial Way, as well as the demolition of the current two-story office building at the site. The Aston neighborhood hospital and health care facility is expected to open in the second half of 2026 to serve the town’s population of 17,000.
The facility will feature 10 inpatient beds, as well as an emergency department which will be able to treat common emergency care needs such as falls, injuries, heart attacks and strokes, according to a press release. The health center on the second floor will offer outpatient services.
“We are thrilled to be bringing high quality health care services to our neighbors in Aston in Delaware County,” ChristianaCare Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Schwartz said in the press release. “Our goal is to make access to health care easy, convenient and close to home in a way that is sustainable and right-sized to meet the needs of the local community.”
The nonprofit health care system based in Delaware first announced plans to open three of these facilities, or “micro-hospitals,” in February of this year with its partner Emerus Holdings Inc. According to the agreement between the two entities, Emerus Holdings Inc. would be responsible for the build out of the three facilities and have operational oversight of the 24-acre West Grove Campus in Jennersville, Chester County, which ChristianaCare purchased from Tower Health in 2022 for $8 million.
These announcements came two years after ChristianaCare backed out of a bid seeking to buy Crozer Health through its parent company Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. in August of 2022. At the time, ChristianaCare’s Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel Jennifer Schwartz expressed disappointment in the outcome and said in a prepared statement, “ChristianaCare very much wants to be a strong partner in Delaware County and in other communities throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. We will continue to explore opportunities to serve the needs of our neighbors.”
Now, with plans moving forward to do just that in southeastern Pennsylvania, leaders are preparing for construction at two of the three facilities it has in the works. While the location of the third neighborhood hospital has not been released yet, although ChristianaCare has cited Delaware County in general, plans continue for the West Grove and now Aston facilities.
Under the name ChristianaCare Pennsylvania, Inc., the company has been working with the Aston Township before construction can begin. ChristianaCare’s Regional Executive Director for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Market Pauline Corso was on hand during a special board of commissioners meeting in November to give more details to local residents.
“The community hospital is, again, a micro hospital which means that we will have 24/7 emergency department services. . . We will offer 10 inpatient observation rooms, but the hospital is really focused on community-based care. We will not have delivery rooms or operating rooms and this is not an intensive care setting,” she said. “The emergency department is full service and is prepared for any emergency.”
She suggested that the addition of new neighborhood hospitals from ChristianaCare will work to complement its nearby primary care offices and help offer a continuity of care at the fingertips of residents in the southeastern Pennsylvania area.
