Drinker Biddle Represents Thomas Jefferson University in Merger with Aria Health and Acquisition of Controlling Interest in Rothman Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital

Drinker Biddle’s Health Care Team advised Thomas Jefferson University in its recent combination with Aria Health, creating the largest health system in the five-county region in southeast Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, and in its acquisition of a controlling interest in Rothman Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital (ROSH) in Bensalem, PA.

On the heels of Jefferson’s merger with Abington Health last year, the addition of Aria expands access to some of the nation’s finest clinicians, scientists, academicians and health care professionals in an urban and suburban region that includes Philadelphia and Trenton, N.J. This combined organization – Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health – brings together 5,000 physicians and practitioners, 5,770 nurses, 23,000 employees, and 2,217 inpatient beds.

The acquisition of ROSH, a specialty hospital focusing exclusively on patients with orthopaedic medical issues, marks Jefferson’s ninth hospital in the region, and its first specialty hospital.

Drinker Biddle’s Health Care Team, led by partners Gerry McCartin and Neil Olderman, represented Jefferson on all aspects of the transactions, including negotiation of the definitive agreements, due diligence, and corporate and regulatory requirements. Partners Rob McCann and Ken Vorrasi worked to obtain clearance from the Federal Trade Commission. Missy Egan and Michelle Garvey led the team of associates supporting the effort.

Drinker Biddle has served as lead transaction counsel for Jefferson for the Abington, Aria, and ROSH transactions, and continues to do so for its pending affiliations with Kennedy Health System and Philadelphia University. For additional information, please refer to the Aria and ROSH announcements on Jefferson’s website.

Drinker Biddle’s Health Care Team represents hospital and health systems with strategic affiliation transactions including pre-transaction counseling, due diligence, regulatory and antitrust reviews, negotiations and post-transaction integration. The team is actively advising on health care affiliations in New Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, California, and other markets across the U.S.