It has been two years since Temple University Health System took over Chestnut Hill Hospital and the efforts has left to a strong turnaround, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Temple Hospital CEO Abhi Rastogi noted that when it was acquired, the Northwest Philadelphia hospital was experiencing a failing infrastructure, low volumes, and an overall lack of much-needed services.
However, leaning on its previous experiences, such as adding Jeanes Hospital under its wing in the late 1990s, Temple Health is able to make a big difference.
“We are starting to see all of that bear fruit, but it takes time,” Rastogi said.
Temple Health is using the agenda to rehabilitate Chestnut Hill Hospital as it did to help rehab Jeanes.
Specifically, that includes adding service lines, enhancing quality, upgrading its infrastructure, and improving revenue cycle management.
It’s those approaches that has helped the hospital’s emergency department grow from 34,000 visits in 2022 to 45,000 in 2024. Meanwhile, hospital admissions are up 10 percent, while surgeries are up 62 percent.
In addition, Chestnut Hill Hospital is expected to reduce its operating loss deficit by more than half.
Chestnut Hill Hospital CEO Rich Newell boiled it down to “a combination of adding services and enhancing others.”
Read more about how Temple Health has helped reshape Chestnut Hill Hospital in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in February 2025.
