BY: Tom Rader
POTTSTOWN, Pa. – Healthcare workers in Montgomery County took a stand against planned layoffs and service cuts at Pottstown Hospital as they made their voices heard this morning.
A crowd of healthcare workers and community leaders gathered on the corner of High Street and Armand Hammer Boulevard with the Pottstown Hospital Tower Health sign as their backdrop as they expressed their concerns over Tower’s plans to end critical care services in January, including the ICU and cancer center.
One nurse and cancer patient shared her emotional story.
“Today, we are asking the community for support not only in saving our jobs and saving critical and necessary healthcare resources in Pottstown,” said nurse Maria Gutierrez. “Taking away a major ICU unit is scary. Critical care patients will have to travel 20 to 40 minutes to find treatment outside of our emergency department.”
In response, Tower Health issued the following new release:
“In the face of the major headwinds confronting every health system nationwide, we have taken important steps to transform our operations and build a more nimble and resilient organization. These difficult decisions were not made lightly. They were made out of necessity to ensure that we can chart our own pathway forward and continue serving our communities. Our commitment to award-winning, high-quality care and patient safety remains unwavering.
These changes are not simply about reducing costs. They reflect a strategic priority to reinvest savings in the pillars that power our future. That includes expanding our provider network, accelerating innovation through AI and technology adoption and enhancing the overall patient experience. Equally important, as part of our three-year strategic plan, we will focus on strengthening the Tower Experience. This means empowering our employees holistically, fostering growth and development, and creating an environment where every team member feels valued and thrives in support of our patients and one another.
With a stronger financial foundation, Tower Health is well-positioned to be the provider of choice in every community we serve, meeting the evolving care needs of our patients today and in the future.”
