Kennedy and Jefferson Kick Off New Era with New Hospital Names

Unveil Plans to Expand Specialty Services and Telehealth in Southern New Jersey

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Oct 04, 2017, 14:55 ET

PHILADELPHIA and CHERRY HILL, N.J., Oct. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Signs outside Kennedy Health's buildings are undergoing a makeover as it transforms to Jefferson Health under the terms of a merger that became effective last month. A series of celebrations were held across the former Kennedy Health sites to formally welcome employees into the Jefferson family.

Kennedy Health hospitals will now be known as Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, Jefferson Stratford Hospital and Jefferson Washington Township Hospital. The renaming is part of a unifying change to highlight Jefferson Health's southern New Jersey hub as Jefferson continues its efforts to bring world class health care to patients in the communities where they live.

"Jefferson and South Jersey have always been a great match and through this marriage of Jefferson and Kennedy Health our patients will become the beneficiaries of the best of both organizations now becoming one," said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. "New Jersey patients and our employees will have access to the care of a top 20 academic medical center where ever they are – on their phone, computer or at home in their community."

Jefferson Health is in preliminary planning stages of integrating the organizations and expanding access to specialty and primary care in New Jersey through additional sites of care and JeffConnect®, a tele-health program that offers patients on-demand video visits 24/7, scheduled video visits, remote second opinions and virtual rounds. Jefferson Health's physicians in New Jersey are anticipated to join JeffConnect in the coming months.

"Like Kennedy Health, Jefferson has a well-deserved reputation for its commitment to the communities it is privileged to serve," said Joseph W. Devine, who will now serve in the role of President, New Jersey division of Jefferson Health and Executive Vice President of Hospital and Health Services at Jefferson Health. "This partnership is about bringing expanded and specialized health care to the community."

South Jersey residents will receive care from the same trusted physicians, nurses and staff, including the orthopedic surgeons at the Rothman Institute, but also have access to Jefferson's enhanced clinical services and promising clinical trials.

"Joe Devine's leadership and expertise are vital to the continued success of the hospitals at Cherry Hill, Stratford and Washington Township. He will focus on Jefferson's New Jersey operations, growth strategy and partnerships in southern New Jersey," Klasko added.

The integration builds on Jefferson's strong ties to the South Jersey community. Thousands of Jefferson employees and their dependents, patients, alumni and postgraduate trainees currently live in New Jersey. Since the late 1990s, Jefferson Voorhees has offered a wide range of medical and surgical specialties in an ambulatory setting conveniently accessible to major highways. New Jersey is also home to Jefferson offices in Burlington and Gloucester Counties. Additionally, before the merger, Kennedy Health hospitals were connected to Jefferson as a member of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Network at Jefferson and Jefferson Neuroscience Network.

"Jefferson and Kennedy already have a successful track record together which is why we are confident that we can fulfill our mutual missions synergistically," added Klasko. "The seeds of our relationship were planted in 2011, when we established relationships in orthopedics and neurosciences. This launched a very collaborative and effective partnership that, six years later, continues to deliver life-changing and life-saving treatments to thousands of South Jersey patients."

SOURCE Thomas Jefferson University