Credit: Facebook.com/ariahealth
A heath care system with a Lower Bucks County hospital has signed a letter of intent with Jefferson Health to discuss joining forces.
The letter of intent, which is a non binding contract, will allow discussions of how Aria Health System, which operates a hospital in Falls Township, can be integrated into Jefferson Health.
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“Together, we can grow services, enhance what Aria Health has built and ensure access to affordable, high-quality healthcare in northeast Philadelphia and Bucks County, and across the region, for years to come,” an announcement read.
Both Aria and Jefferson have said they expect such discussions with lead to an definitive agreement.
After a two year strategic planning and partnership process, the Aria Health board of directors voted unanimously to authorize the signing. The Thomas Jefferson University board also voted unanimously to authorize the letter of intent.
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“The Aria Health board selected Jefferson because we share the vision of what Aria and Jefferson can accomplish together,” said Robert Truitt, chair of the Aria Health board. “Together, we can grow services, enhance what Aria Health has built and ensure access to affordable, high-quality healthcare in northeast Philadelphia and Bucks County, and across the region, for years to come.”
According to Aria Health officials, their goal was to be part of an organization which was prepared to care for patients and families in the local community. They are striving to make continued investments in information technology, outpatient services and physician alignment, to improve the ability to participate in risk-bearing payment models; and to be better equipped to simultaneously optimize patient experience (including quality and satisfaction), improve the health of populations and lower the per-person cost of healthcare.
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“Integrating with Aria Health is another bold step forward for re-imagining healthcare for patients and their families in our communities,” said Dr. Stephen Klasko, president and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. “Aria Health brings critical capabilities as a high-quality, cost-efficient community health system.”
Aria Health stated they unanimously chose to integrate with Jefferson Health after a lengthy process from a variety of strong potential suitors. The health system said they value Jefferson’s similar philosophy and culture.
“Aria Health’s extensive, deliberate process left no doubt that joining Jefferson would enable Aria Health to do the most to enhance the care and service we deliver to patients and their families,” said Kathleen Kinslow, president and CEO of Aria Health.
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Going forward, nothing will change for patients, employees or physicians at either health system, but instead each organization will take the next 90 days to learn more about each other. Both systems expect the task to be completed by late spring 2016.
“Jefferson’s culture and our shared vision for what we can achieve best reflect the criteria the Aria board of directors developed for evaluating whether to join forces with another health system,” Kinslow said.
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Aria Health also operates a hospital in Northeast Philadelphia along several outpatient and urgent care facilities in Bucks County.
Earlier this year, Jefferson Heath and Abington Heath completed a merger that had a combined combined 19,000 employees and 3,370 doctors.
