From NBC40.net — Unable to raise the $5 million needed to keep their doors open past the middle of January, Kessler Memorial Hospital could soon be absorbed by another health care company.

“…We are in dire straights,” said interim CEO, Jim Rossi, Tuesday afternoon, “….we’re making it past the 16th, but its not like we’re making it to April.”

In early December, the cash strapped Hammonton hospital was left out of a $44 million dollar State aid package for medical centers — and recent attempts to raise $5 million from private lenders have fallen short.

Kessler is now engaged in active discussions with several other health care companies, including AtlantiCare, about a possible merger/partnership, “….we’re in heavy discussions with a lot of different neighbors in South Jersey, one in North Jersey, and there’s also one out-of-town group that just came to the table.”

Rossi says that despite recent signs that the hospital is doing better — thanks to a new billing company, and an increase in patients — many years of mis-management has had its affect, “….we’re starting to make the business decisions that they should have made years ago.”

According to Dr. Jack Kanoff, Medical Staff President at Kessler, closing down could have life-or-death consequences for patients requiring emergency care in the western part of Atlantic Co., “….there’s nothing else in this area, you have to go at least 15 miles, or at least a 25 minute drive to go from here to any other facility.”

But if a merger with another hospital does occur, Rossi says that the emergency department would actually increase in size and sophistication — the down side of a merger, according to Rossi, would be that the ER might be the only part of the hospital that survives, “….but that’s much better than losing everything….the downside is, yes, there is going to be some loss of jobs.”

Rossi said that he and other officials at Kessler are insisting that merger discussions include provisions for employees who would lose their jobs.