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Jefferson Health
Overview
Jefferson is a multi-dimensional academic and healthcare organization comprised of:
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Thomas Jefferson University (academics)
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Jefferson Health Hospitals
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Jefferson University Physicians
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Jefferson Office of Institutional Advancement (foundation)
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Jefferson Health Design Lab (innovation)
This expansive structure positioned Jefferson for influence—but also introduced organizational complexity that risked slowing momentum.
The Challenge:
Despite a strong reputation in clinical care, education, and innovation, Jefferson’s structure as five distinct business units created internal friction and external confusion:
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Siloed decision-making slowed response time in a rapidly shifting healthcare environment
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Missed opportunities for collaboration and synergy across divisions
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A fragmented brand identity diluted Jefferson’s value proposition to partners, patients, and donors
As Jefferson eyed significant growth, it became clear that a unified strategy was critical to align leadership, accelerate integration, and communicate a shared enterprise vision.
Springboard’s Approach:
Strategy Designed for Scale
Springboard was brought in to help Jefferson unify its strategy across all five divisions. Through our Shape framework, we guided a comprehensive engagement that spanned:
- Phase I: Immersion
We engaged leadership across academics, hospitals, physicians, fundraising, and innovation to clarify shared goals and pinpoint systemic friction points. This early alignment revealed the need for a flattened, enterprise-wide strategy to unlock agility and cohesion.
- Phase II: Research
Through interviews, market assessment, and brand audits, we uncovered the perception gaps between internal ambitions and external expectations. The research exposed how competing narratives and structures were holding back collaboration and growth.
- Phase III: Strategic Insight
In a facilitated workshop with cross-division leaders, we co-developed a unified master brand architecture and strategic framework that aligned all five divisions under one mission-driven identity, without sacrificing the uniqueness of each entity.
The Outcome:
A Platform for Transformational Growth
The impact of this alignment was profound. In just under 10 years, Jefferson transformed from a three-hospital system to a 32-hospital regional powerhouse — a period that included the strategic acquisition or integration of:
- Abington Health
- Aria Health
- Philadelphia University
- Kennedy Health
- Magee Rehabilitation
- Einstein Health Network
- Lehigh Valley Health Network
Springboard’s work provided the strategic and brand foundation for this growth, enabling Jefferson to act decisively, integrate acquisitions effectively, and communicate a powerful enterprise identity to patients, partners, faculty, and funders alike.
Why It Matters
This case illustrates what’s possible when a large, complex healthcare enterprise aligns around a single strategic vision. Springboard’s Strategy Practice brought senior-level insight, outside perspective, and a proven process to unify a legacy institution for a new era of growth and impact.
