On Jan. 26, Penn Medicine withdrew from its agreement to buy the currently closed Brandywine Hospital from Tower Health. Penn Medicine initially planned to repurpose the facility for veterans medical care services in an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Coatesville and Philadelphia to expand in-patient care in the area.

“After an intensive due diligence process, we have determined that we would be unable to build out the infrastructure for the project in the space available on the Brandywine campus and have terminated our letter of intent with Tower to purchase the property,” a Penn Medicine spokesperson said.

Brandywine Hospital closed in January 2022 due to financial reasons, forcing residents to seek necessary care further away. Some residents saw Penn Medicine’s previous letter of intent as an opportunity for a more stable healthcare infrastructure in the area. Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz and Eric Roe released a statement following Penn Medicine’s announcement of its withdrawal.

“We are disappointed that the Brandywine Hospital property did not meet Penn Medicine’s requirements, but we are excited that Penn Medicine remains committed to bringing emergency and acute care back to the Coatesville area,” they wrote in a statement.

The commissioners also expressed their continued hope for expanding veterans care in the area. Keith Nunnelee, a U.S. Navy veteran and gifted support teacher at T/E Middle School, believes that specialized veteran medical care is important, especially for older veterans.

“The veterans from Vietnam are getting on up there (in age), and a lot of them are requiring care, and a lot of that care can be traced back to the time that they’ve served,” Nunnelee said. “Many of them were drafted. It was not voluntary, and I think that we owe it to veterans, especially those who saw combat and made physical and psychological contributions and sacrifices. They deserve to be taken care of when their health care requires it.”

Despite not purchasing Brandywine Hospital, Penn Medicine continues to look for a different facility to move ahead with the project. A Penn Medicine spokesperson said that the organization recognizes the importance of its efforts for veterans and community members in the Coatesville area.

“Penn Medicine is deeply committed to working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the best infrastructure for the delivery of healthcare to veterans in our region,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to work closely with community stakeholders to listen to their ideas and feedback and share plans as these efforts continue.”