The judge overseeing the Steward Health Care System bankruptcy case is being asked to consider objections and concerns over the planned closure of Sharon Regional Medical Center.

After a deal to sell the hospital fell through, Steward notified the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry that it planned to close the hospital on January 6, laying off 848 employees.

Suzanne Koenig, the Patient Care Ombudsman charged with overseeing and reporting on conditions at Steward facilities involved in the bankruptcy, has expressed concerns about the short closure timeline, saying 21 days is insufficient for patients to find alternative care.

Koenig is also concerned about the impact on the community, noting that Sharon Regional is the only facility offering certain critical services in Mercer County.

In addition, addressing patient safety and care. Koenig says there must be a smooth transition and continued access to medical records during the closure.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has filed one of three objections submitted as of Friday to the closure due to concerns about patient care and regulatory compliance.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General notes in her objection that the closure plan lacks details on patient transfer and insufficient communication.

The Attorney General also says that under state law, Steward is required to obtain" malpractice insurance that would cover patient claims filed after the current insurance policy ends.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is waiting for a required inspection report of the hospital, and underground storage tanks on the property will need to be emptied and registered as temporarily out of service when the hospital closes.

Finally, the Attorney General says Steward must provide a long-term plan for patient record retention so that patients in the future know where and how to obtain their medical records.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General says it is in discussions with Steward to address their objections.

Insurer United Health Care also filed an objection saying the January 6 closing date doesn’t give it enough time to notify its 2,500 customers who use the hospital.  United is asking for 40 days before closure.

Another objection to Sharon Regional’s closure has been filed by Edwards Lifesciences which wants to recover its heart valves left at the hospital under consignment.