As Jefferson Health looks ahead in 2026 the health network highlighted some successes from 2025:

• Jefferson Health and the PGA TOUR Champions announced a five-year partnership to host a new professional golf tournament: The Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic.

The Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic will debut the week of Sept. 28, 2026. The event will be held at Lehigh Country Club in Allentown and is expected to provide a $50 million boost to the local economy. Proceeds will benefit local charities, including Valley Youth House and Eagles Autism Foundation.

• Jefferson Health unveiled a systemwide artificial intelligence strategy designed to reclaim more than 10 million hours of clinician time by 2028.

“This is not just a technology strategy,” said Baligh Yehia, MD, MPP, MSc, FACP, President of Jefferson Health. “It’s a bold commitment to reimagine health care — where innovation amplifies compassion, and AI helps us deliver safer, smarter and more accessible care for patients.”

By cutting the administrative burden for more than 23,000 clinicians, Jefferson Health will free up the equivalent of two years, so clinicians can focus on what matters most: caring for patients.

• Jefferson and Lehigh Valley Health Network recognized the one-year anniversary of the landmark combination in August.

“One year ago, we promised to give our communities more, and today I’m proud to say we’re delivering on that commitment,” said Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Jefferson.

Together, Jefferson and Lehigh Valley Health Network are offering expanded access to care through new and enhanced services and treatment options. Among the integration’s many successes is Jefferson Health’s highly specialized Nursing S.E.A.L. Team expanding to the Lehigh Valley.

• The Peter and Odete Kelly Center for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy launched at Lehigh Valley Hospital — Cedar Crest.

The center will focus on personalized immunotherapy, a new paradigm for treating cancer, through translational research, therapeutic cancer vaccines, expanded access to clinical trials and an interdisciplinary team of experts. Its mission is to develop and test new immunotherapies, new indications for immunotherapies and new combinations of drugs that include immunotherapies.

• The Women’s Health Center at Tower Place opened in Bethlehem, establishing the region’s first and only women’s health center.

The 40,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to convenient care for women.

From Breast Health Services to cardiovascular care, the Women’s Health Center is revolutionizing the way we provide treatment. The Center was designed with thoughtful amenities, including childcare for patients with children while they are receiving care.

Becker’s Hospital Review detailed how Jefferson is closing care gaps with a rare strategy: pairing community health workers with patients with social needs.

The Community Health Workers Academy is a training and workforce development program designed to build trusting relationships with community members and provide essential social needs assistance, navigation and support for chronic health conditions. The program aims to enhance community trust and improve health outcomes by addressing critical social determinants of health.

Brain surgery and a birth: Jefferson Health’s Living Well blog recounted how interdisciplinary care saved one of our own colleagues and her baby.