At a time of accelerating scrutiny of well being machine mergers, Philadelphia-based Jefferson Well being and Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Well being Community (LVHN) have signed a non-binding letter of intent to merge. 

Upon ultimate of a deal, the blended machine would function 30 hospitals and greater than 700 websites of care, supported through greater than 62,000 hired college, clinicians and workforce in Japanese Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.

The complementary functions could be additional bolstered through each organizations’ educational methods and finding out surroundings, particularly of the Thomas Jefferson College, the nonprofit organizations stated. “This may increasingly building up alternatives for novices to obtain scientific coaching, sufferers to take part in scientific analysis throughout the community, and supply extra selection for well being plan beneficiaries,” a press unlock stated.   

“The healthcare panorama and our communities’ wishes are converting; it’s essential main programs evolve and invest one day of care and wellness—rising and protective get right of entry to to enhanced, reasonably priced, top quality and leading edge care, in particular for traditionally underserved sufferers,” stated Joseph Cacchione, M.D., CEO of Jefferson, in a remark.

“Combining Jefferson’s and LVHN’s sources will permit us to fulfill the converting wishes of our numerous communities quicker, extra successfully and extra successfully. In combination—with our blended community of sources and websites of care, controlled care experience, schooling and analysis functions—we can be able to make important enhancements to well being results and deal with well being disparities on this area, and past, to the ease our communities, sufferers, physicians, college, workforce, scholars and well being plan participants.”


Upon the ultimate of the transaction, Jefferson’s Cacchione will proceed to function CEO of the Jefferson Endeavor. LVHN President and CEO Brian Nester, D.O., M.B.A., will function government vp/leader working officer and president of the legacy Lehigh Valley Well being Community. Baligh R. Yehia, M.D., will function government vp/leader transformation officer and president of the legacy Jefferson Heath. The newly built-in Board of Trustees and management crew will probably be produced from participants from each programs. The specifics will probably be labored out within the definitive settlement.