TUHS sells former Northeastern Hospital complex

In August, TUHS announced the agreement to sell the current ambulatory care center.

On Aug. 27, Temple University Health System announced an agreement with real-estate company Haskell Acquisition Partnership for the purchase of the buildings that are currently Temple’s Northeastern Ambulatory Care Center.

In March 2009, TUHS announced that due to its financial situation, Northeastern Hospital, an inpatient care hospital, would become an ambulatory care center. In July 2009, the center opened and provides services to Port Richmond, Kensington, Fishtown and Bridesburg.

During the nurse’s strike last spring, the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals cited Temple’s closing of Northeastern Hospital as an example of TUHS not meeting the needs of the community.

Jerry Silberman, PASNAP representative for the Temple nurses, said he still feels that way.

“Of course, it doesn’t meet the health care needs of the community, and I see this primarily as a way for Temple to minimize their financial risk exposure, while making their obligation even more tenuous,” Silberman said.

According to TUHS, their sales agreement includes TUHS maintaining a 10-year lease agreement with Haskell, “so that the Northeastern Ambulatory Care Center may continue to meet the health care needs of the communities it serves.”

“We are pleased to continue to provide health care services to the communities surrounding Northeastern Ambulatory Care Center, and we welcome the additional resources that will be available to community residents as a result of this sales transaction,” CEO of TUHS Sandy Gomberg said.

“We are pleased to assume ownership of this valuable property, which will remain home to the Northeastern Ambulatory Care Center,” Steve Atlass, a general partner of Haskell Acquisition Partnership, said in a press release. “We are excited about the possibility of adding additional value to the campus through the introduction of complementary health care and consumer services that will serve the area.”

Valerie Rubinsky can be reached at valerie.rubinsky@temple.edu.