Hammonton hospital discontinues acute care

HAMMONTON, N.J. - Kessler Memorial Hospital announced yesterday that it had ceased acute-care operations and transported dozens of patients to other facilities or discharged them, hospital officials said.

In the meantime, the hospital has reached a tentative agreement with AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center to create a satellite emergency room at the hospital, according to a statement by Michael Sandnes, interim chief restructuring officer.

AtlantiCare was expected to take over by today, using its own personnel to staff the facility, where patients will be treated, released, or taken to hospitals more than 20 miles away.

Kessler's board of directors terminated an agreement with B. Reddy Dandolu, a Philadelphia cardiovascular surgeon who had agreed to buy the hospital for $7.5 million. Dandolu failed to make a nonrefundable $300,000 down payment that would have helped pay salaries and keep the hospital afloat until the deal was finalized. The closure has left about 400 employees, including doctors, nurses and administrative personnel, without jobs. - Jacqueline L. Urgo