Jefferson Health Makes Agreement to Expand Use of AI

Jan. 30, 2026

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

Jefferson Health has announced an agreement with Qualified Health to develop and deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) throughout the Jefferson network.

Philadelphia-based Jefferson operates under the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) brand in the Lehigh Valley.

The AI goal is ” applying AI thoughtfully, consistently, and at scale to support clinicians and improve patient care and access across the continuum,” according to the Jefferson statement.

Qualified Health’s website says “Generative AI is no longer a pilot experiment. It’s becoming core infrastructure for how modern health systems deliver care, manage operations, and protect financial performance.”

The website addes, “Health Systems must act now on AI or fall behind.”

Since Jefferson took over LVHN in 2024, the combined company has announced operating losses, job cuts and moves toward AI. The Philadelphia Business Journal reported recently that Jefferson may face a downgrade to its credit rating.

Here’s a link to the Jefferson Health statement, and below is a cut-and-paste version:

PHILADELPHIA (January 27, 2026) – Jefferson Health and Qualified Health today announced a forward-looking collaboration for the development and responsible deployment of generative AI across Jefferson’s multi-state network. The collaboration brings together Jefferson’s longstanding commitment to innovation and Qualified Health’s healthcare-native AI platform, enabling both organizations to co-develop solutions to advance a shared vision: applying AI thoughtfully, consistently, and at scale to support clinicians and improve patient care and access across the continuum.

Jefferson Health comprises 33 hospital campuses and over 700 sites of care, serving patients across southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. With 65,000 employees, including clinicians, faculty, and other staff, Jefferson is the second-largest employer in Philadelphia and the largest health system in the Philadelphia region by total licensed beds.

“This collaboration is part of our strategy to evolve care delivery through the responsible, governed integration of AI across our enterprise. By moving from foundational registry tools to agentic solutions, we are providing our care team with proactive technology that enhances quality and clinical value, said Luis E. Taveras, PhD, Executive Vice President, Chief Digital & Information Officer, Jefferson.”

Qualified Health’s platform will support a set of high-impact initiatives, including quality registry solutions, the development of AI systems that surface emerging care gaps, and the automation of high-burden administrative tasks, freeing up time for clinicians to focus on patient care.

“Together with Qualified Health, we are ensuring that innovation at one of the nation’s largest non-profit health systems remains fundamentally human-centered, driving measurable improvements in both patient outcomes and workforce well-being,” said Patricia Henwood, MD, FACEP, Chief Clinical Officer of Jefferson Health.

In addition, Qualified Health will provide hands-on training and real-time performance monitoring to ensure AI adoption drives sustained improvements in care quality, operational efficiency, and patient experience.

“Generative AI will only create real value in healthcare if it is deployed with the same rigor, accountability, and care that we expect of clinical operations,” said Justin Norden, co-founder and CEO of Qualified Health. “Jefferson’s enterprise AI strategy sets a clear standard, using AI to augment clinicians, reduce administrative burden, and improve access to care. Our role is to provide a governed platform and operating model that allows that vision to continue to operationalize safely and at scale.”

Rather than pursuing AI through fragmented pilots, the joint initiative introduces a coordinated, enterprise-wide approach that combines speed and scale with rigorous governance. Qualified Health’s platform provides workflow-level integration, secure data controls, real-time performance monitoring, and healthcare-grade guardrails, allowing Jefferson to deploy AI confidently while maintaining clinician trust and upholding the organization’s mission-driven values.