Jefferson Health and Magee Rehabilitation Combine, Strengthening Patients’ Path to Independence

January 23, 2018

PHILADELPHIA (January 23, 2018) – Jefferson Health and Magee Rehabilitation announced today that they are embarking on the next chapter of their decades-long clinical partnership by combining their organizations. The integration will enable two of Philadelphia’s nationally ranked hospitals to provide an even higher level of care to patients regaining independence from spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, amputation, multiple sclerosis and/or orthopedic injuries.

Under terms of the combination, Magee, the 13th ranked rehabilitation hospital in the country according to U.S. News & World Report, would apply its leading edge, best-practice approach to rehabilitative medicine across the Jefferson Health enterprise, which now includes 14 hospitals across two states. In turn, Jefferson Health, including Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, the 16th ranked hospital in the country, will expand certain services to Magee patients, such as JeffConnect telemedicine. This platform enables patients in need of frequent, sometimes lifelong, rehabilitative and specialty services to consult with their physicians from the comfort of their own homes through the convenience of a laptop or other mobile device.

“Jefferson and Magee have a 40 year history of collaboration and cooperation. This next step was a natural progression given our similar goals to improve the lives of the patients we serve,” said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. “By fully integrating, patients will experience an enhanced continuum of care with access to high quality, cost-effective programs and specialized services, such as art, horticultural and music therapies, as well as the benefits of innovative research endeavors for rehabilitation medicine made possible by the comprehensive menu of expertise at our organizations. Together, we are a perfect marriage of the nation’s top-ranked hospitals, and are poised to meet the current and future needs of our patients and communities.”

The transaction, effective January of 2018, marks Jefferson Health’s fourth in as many years, growing from a local three-hospital system in Philadelphia to a regional 14-hospital network in two states. Now, Jefferson Health provides care to patients at 14 hospitals and more than 50 outpatient locations. Operating revenue has grown from approximately $1 billion to $5 billion.

Jefferson’s strong partnership with Magee began in 1978, when the organizations formed the Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley, and through this affiliation, became designated as one of the nation's 14 Model Spinal Cord Injury Centers by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.  This year marks the 40th consecutive year of the designation and partnership which includes also research, and collaboration in the areas of biomedical services; pharmacy; respiratory therapy; radiology interpretations; residency programs and other student education.

“When Magee’s patients reach their highest levels of independence and a true quality of life, it is the result of many things done right. Patients giving it their all every day to recover; families providing their unwavering support; and a team of highly trained professionals focusing upon the minds, bodies, and spirits of those patients they have the privilege to serve,” said Jack Carroll, PhD, MHA, President and CEO of Magee Rehabilitation. “Officially reuniting with Jefferson brings more expertise, experience, and regional access to patients in need of physical and cognitive rehabilitation, and beyond that, facilitates easier transitions to any of the high-quality post-acute care services offered throughout Jefferson Health that a patient and family might need.”

Through joint board governance, Magee and Jefferson will expand existing rehabilitation services for patients.

Jefferson by the Numbers:

  • Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health is 30,000 employees strong, the second largest employer in Philadelphia.
  • 14 hospitals
  • 2,904 licensed beds
  • 6,637 physicians and practitioners
  • 7,432 nurses
  • 50+ outpatient and urgent care locations
  • 3.7 million outpatient visits annually

About Jefferson Health

Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 14 hospitals (three Magnet®-designated for nursing excellence), more than 50 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and the JeffConnect® telemedicine program. Jefferson’s academic health center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Inc., is recognized by US News & World Report as #16 on the 2017-18 Best Hospitals Honor Roll.  Jefferson Health’s mission is to improve the health of those patients and communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.

About Magee Rehabilitation

Magee Rehabilitation Hospital (MageeRehab.org), a founding member of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation’s NeuroRecovery Network, is the Philadelphia region’s original provider of physical and cognitive rehabilitation. The not-for-profit hospital and three outpatient centers provide nationally-recognized lifetime rehabilitation and wellness programs for individuals with spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, orthopedic joint replacement, amputation, pain management, and work injury. Since 1978, Magee has partnered with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital to form The Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley, one of only 14 federally designated model systems of care in the country.