January 20, 2016
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Jefferson University Hospital in Center City Philadelphia.
Who says that mergers have to be monogamous? Less than a year after the Jefferson health system merged completely with Abington, it's promised itself to a new partner: Aria.
Aria and Jefferson health systems signed a definitive merger agreement, Jefferson announced Tuesday.
The Philadelphia-area health networks announced that they would merge in October, but now they've spelled out exactly how that process is going to work. The deal still needs regulatory approvals but should be completed by late spring.
Aria will become a "regional referral site" and will have the same representation as Abington and Jefferson on the health network's board.
Kathleen Kinslow will continue her role as Aria's CEO.
“Everyone involved with the exploration process – from our board of directors and its steering committee that has provided oversight for this process to physician leaders and senior leadership at Aria – agreed that by joining forces with Jefferson, we could have the greatest impact on transforming healthcare across the region,” she said in a statement.
The merger between Jefferson and Abington was one of the largest ever for the Philly-area healthcare industry, noted Philadelphia Magazine. It created a combined network of five hospitals, nine outpatient centers and 19,000 employees.
