Medical workers are sending a message to the 76ers about the team’s proposed arena in Center City—patients over profits. Their main concern is how the arena will impact ambulances rushing to get patients to Jefferson Hospital’s emergency entrance which is just two blocks away from where the arena would be. NBC10’s Johnny Archer shares their message.
Medical workers in Philadelphia are sharing their concerns over the plans to build a new arena in Center City for the 76ers.
Their main worry is the arena's potential impact on ambulances rushing to get patients to nearby Jefferson Hospital that is just two blocks from the proposed location.
The medical professionals who spoke with NBC10 said that building this new arena less than two blocks from the emergency entrance could be a matter of life or death for patients who need to get there as fast as possible.
"This is bad for us as doctors getting our patients to the trauma center," physician Dr. William King said.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, personnel in Philadelphia stood together across the street from Jefferson Hospital's emergency entrance at 10th and Sansom streets.
They were all in opposition to the 76ers building a new arena in Center City.
"The proposed arena project has many unanswered questions including how traffic around Jefferson Hospital will be addressed," one doctor said.
"Every time there's a game for the Sixers, I have to worry that my patients can't get to the trauma bay," Dr. King said during the protest.
The group is concerned that heavy traffic during events will slow or even block ambulances from getting to the hospital, especially as Jefferson is the only level-one trauma center in Center City.
Jefferson serves patients from Girard Avenue to South Philadelphia and from the Schuylkill to the Delaware rivers and treated people with some of the worst injuries including from gun violence and car crashes.
According to the hospital's website, there are about 82,000 emergency department visits every year.
NBC10 reached out to the 76ers and the hospital about these concerns but we have not yet heard back.
