Doylestown Hospital (Credit: Google Maps Street View)
Operating losses grow, but hope lies in the upcoming merger to stabilize the struggling system
As Bucks County healthcare system Doylestown Health inches closer to its merger with Penn Medicine, it is clear it is in need of more than just a routine check-up — it is hooked up to financial life support.
With operating losses swelling to $13.7 million in the first half of 2025, the system is hoping the lifeline of its upcoming merger will be the treatment it needs to stabilize its struggling bottom line, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal and BUCKSCO Today.
Recently filed bond documents revealed that the nonprofit operator of Doylestown Hospital continues to face financial challenges, posting an operating loss of $13.7 million for the first half of its 2025 fiscal year, a significant increase from the $8.1 million loss during the same period in 2024, per the report.
Despite this, total revenue for the six-month period year-end 2024 rose by 3.7%, reaching $224.9 million, up from $216.8 million the year before, according to the report.
At present, Doylestown Health is shelling out more money and resources for staffing critical areas like nursing, where it relies on outside vendors.
Doylestown Health’s CFO Elizabeth Seeber told PBJ that, while patient volumes increased overall, some areas experienced lower-than-expected demand, contributing to the financial struggles.
The merger was first announced in August 2024 and is expected to be completed by early spring, pending regulatory review. Penn Medicine is the parent of Penn Health System and the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
Post-merger, Doylestown Hospital would be part of Penn Medicine’s network, alongside several other hospitals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, such as the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Pennsylvania Hospital.
As part of the deal, Penn Medicine will assume certain debt obligations of Doylestown Health, which currently has $163 million in long-term debt, according to reports.
Doylestown Health recently expanded its surgical and emergency departments, including a new $54 million cardiovascular and critical care pavilion, opened in 2021.
Another Bucks County health system, Grand View Health, is also in the process of merging with a larger network – St. Luke’s University Health Network. Per reports, Grand View Health posted an operating loss of $33.7 million for the first half of Fiscal Year 2025.
