Press Releases

 U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) today responded to a report by the Washington Post of insufficient policies to protect medical staff and non-COVID-19 patients at Moses Taylor Hospital, which is operated by Community Health Systems.

“Our dedicated health care workers face an unprecedented challenge in treating patients with COVID-19. Every precaution has to be taken to keep them healthy and in fighting shape, and every safeguard must be enacted to contain the spread of the virus among other patients at higher risk of becoming infected,” said Rep. Cartwright. “I call on Community Health Systems and all health care providers in our area to be fully transparent about their policies to protect their doctors and nurses, how they are mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in their facilities, how much PPE they have on hand and need, and their personnel availability and staffing needs. This is no time to cut corners on health and safety or to prioritize ‘saving face’ ahead of good infectious disease control. Lives are at stake.”

In addition to Moses Taylor, Community Health Systems manages First Hospital of Wyoming Valley, Regional Hospital of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Cartwright has contacted Community Health Systems regarding concerns over workplace issues before. As recently as September 2019, Cartwright sent a letter to Community Health Systems CEO Wayne T. Smith urging the company to ensure the caregivers at Regional Hospital of Scranton had the resources needed to maintain a high-quality standard of patient care.