UPMC and Allegheny Health Network are seeing higher demand following Monday’s closing of Sharon Regional Medical Center .
Both Pittsburgh-based health systems own hospitals in the same Mercer County as Sharon Regional, which had been caught up in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy and asset selloff of privately-owned Steward Health System . Sharon Regional, which had 220 beds and 19 offices in northwestern Pennsylvania, had about 850 employees. Steward since before the bankruptcy filing had been trying to sell off Sharon Regional but was unsuccessful. One bid, from Meadville Medical Center, came up short over financing in December. A last-minute effort from a California health care turnaround company hasn’t come to fruition . The Shapiro administration devoted about $1.5 million a month for three months to help keep Sharon open longer than Steward had originally anticipated .
That’s led UPMC and AHN to step in to help meet the demands…