A lot has been said about human abilities, and yet no piece of talking has been able to find anything more valuable than the one that pushes us to improve at a consistent pace. This commitment towards getting better, no matter the situation, has brought the world some huge milestones, with technology emerging as quite a major member of the stated group. The reason why we hold technology in such a high regard is, by and large, predicated upon its skill-set, which ushered us towards a reality that nobody could have ever imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, if we look beyond the surface for one hot second, it will become abundantly clear how the whole runner was also very much inspired from the way we applied those skills across a real world environment. The latter component, in fact, did a lot to give the creation a spectrum-wide presence, and as a result, initiated a full-blown tech revolution. Of course, the next thing this revolution did was to scale up the human experience through some outright unique avenues, but even after achieving a feat so notable, technology will somehow continue to bring forth the right goods. The same has turned more and more evident in recent times, and assuming one new healthcare-themed development shakes out just like we envision, it will only put that trend on a higher pedestal moving forward.
Jefferson and Lehigh Valley Health Network have officially come together to sign a non-binding letter, which is focused on creating a leading integrated care delivery system, including a national research university, and an expanded not-for-profit health plan. According to certain reports, the stated system will bring the necessary infrastructure to improve the health and well-being of rural and urban communities through its health care delivery network, learning environment and Medicare, Medicaid and ACA insurance offerings in Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Now, with such an objective to be at-hand, combining Jefferson and LVHN’s experience will, in practice, accelerate the access to leading-edge health care services and health insurance benefits, benefits that will be tailored as per the distinct community needs observed in eligible populations. A big part of this value proposition is notably rooted in both the entities’ academic programs. You see, the consolidated version of their programs here will allow learners to receive clinical training, patients to participate in clinical research within the network, while simultaneously providing a wider pool of choices for health plan beneficiaries. All in all, the resulting healthcare system is expected to be active across 30 hospitals and more than 700 sites of care, supported by a 62,000 employees-big faculty. Talk about the benefits in play from a granular standpoint, they begin with a top-notch care delivery model which should expertly manage population health and reduce cost of care. We referred to how the system will be available in and around over 700 sites of care, the list not only includes hospitals, but it also covers ambulatory and post-acute services, along with those robust primary care bases for preventive care. Next up, we must mention that the by-product of this collaboration will deliver specialized clinical services dedicating hefty focus towards patients, who have historically faced barriers to high-quality specialty care in the context of oncology, neurology, orthopedics, cardiovascular, and solid organ transplant. Coming back to the partners’ aim of setting up a proper health plan, it will solidify patient choice within the LVHN service area, more prominently for patients who come under vulnerable and at-risk populations covered by Medicare and Medicaid.
“The healthcare landscape and our communities’ needs are changing; it is critical leading systems evolve and make investments in the future of care and wellness—growing and protecting access to enhanced, affordable, high-quality and innovative care, particularly for historically under-served patients,” said Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Jefferson. “Combining Jefferson’s and LVHN’s resources will allow us to meet the changing needs of our diverse communities faster, more efficiently and more effectively. Together—with our combined network of resources and sites of care, managed care expertise, education and research capabilities—we will have the ability to make significant improvements to health outcomes and address health disparities in this region, and beyond”
Hold on, we aren’t done yet. For instance, in regards to their overall academic effort, Jefferson and LHVN have also made a point to extend degrees and pathways for new graduates, thus positioning them to land high-demand positions. Rounding up the highlights is a detail concerning the financial aspect. You see, by packing their resources together, the companies can conceive a higher investment into innovative treatment capabilities and R&D.
Still subjected to execution of a definitive agreement, regulatory approvals, and completion of closing conditions, the collaboration deal is expected to be closed in 2024.
Making Jefferson an ideal partner for such an initiative is the fact that it is currently providing over 200 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. The organization’s ability in creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical, and applied research has earned it the number one rank when it comes to being the top health care systems across the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia area. This very scale reveals itself once you consider Jefferson Health is actively treating patients at 17 different hospitals and 50 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region.
As for Lehigh Valley Health Network, it has risen up on the back of delivering cutting-edge specialty care, stretching across trauma and burn care for adults and children; kidney and pancreas transplants; perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, complex neurosurgery capabilities. The organization also holds national certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center; and one of the nation’s leading providers in advanced robotic surgery. LHVN, at present, boasts more than 29 health centers, 20 ExpressCARE locations, including the area’s only Children’s ExpressCARE; pharmacy, imaging, home health, rehabilitation, and lab service. Moving on to the organization’s academic prowess, it is put on display by a regional medical school campus, nursing school, and extensive graduate medical education offerings in more than 35 specialties.
“We are thrilled to be combining with Jefferson and excited about the immediate and long-term benefits this combination will create for the communities of the Lehigh Valley and Eastern Pennsylvania,” said Brian A. Nester, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lehigh Valley Health Network. “In Jefferson, we have found an ideal partner that shares our culture and commitment to excellence in clinical care and a learning environment, and that has done a fabulous job in establishing a highly successful health plan with a sharp focus on the well-being of Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries. The expertise derived from these operations is becoming a crucial competency for health systems to deliver on their mission”
