Aria Health, a not-for-profit hospital system serving the residents of northeast Philadelphia and lower Bucks County, reached a definitive agreement with Jefferson, the system created last year through the merger of Jefferson Health and Abington Health. That transaction, announced in January 2015 and finalized in May, created an organization with five hospitals, 1,751 inpatient beds, seven outpatient centers and 3,370 physicians.

This transaction with Aria adds three hospitals in Frankford, Torresdale and Oxford Valley with 485 licensed beds. Aria also holds an option to develop property on a 41-acre farm in Lower Makefield, Pennsylvania. Under terms of the agreement, Aria will be designated as a regional referral site and its president and CEO, Kathleen Kinslow, will assume the role of president of Community Hospitals, Jefferson Health. The newly created designation of community hospitals includes the three Aria and two Abington Health hospitals.