Fox Chase Cancer Center to merge into Temple Health System
Temple University Health Systems and Fox Chase Cancer Center are joining forces. The two institutions will merge resources, research and aspects of patient care.
Dr. Larry Kaiser, CEO of Temple University Health System, spelled out the details of the deal in a news conference Thursday: “As part of the terms of this agreement, Temple will invest in cancer research at Fox Chase, providing new resources to recruit additional physician scientists.”
Temple will initially invest $10 million dollars, Kaiser said. In addition to signing on new scientists, Fox Chase will be able to use sections of nearby Jeanes Hospital, which is part of Temple Health system.
That, explained Fox Chase CEO Dr. Michael Seiden, puts a permanent end to the long-standing controversy over a proposed Fox Chase expansion into a section of Fairmount Park. The center announced earlier this year that it was shelving those plans.
Fox Chase had threatened to move out of the city if it did not get its expansion plans approved. Some local residents and Fairmount Park advocates vociferously opposed the sale of any parkland on principle, no matter the supposed benefits. The city agreed at one point to lease part of the park to Fox Chase, but opponents of the idea appealed and won in court.
Fox Chase and Temple officials now envision a cancer treatment hub on 47 acres surrounding Jeanes hospital. This will likely involve new buildings as well as taking over beds at Jeanes hospital. Fox Chase has about 100 beds on its main campus.
Fox Chase will not change its name as it becomes part of the Temple system. Fox Chase carries the coveted distinction of being a National Cancer Institute designated center – which Temple officials say lends credibility to their joint mission.
Temple and Fox Chase have had an affiliation agreement since 1998 – and have collaborated in the area of bone marrow transplants.
Their agreement has to be reviewed by several government agencies, but is expected to be finalized next year.
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