PHILADELPHIA, PA (December 15, 2011) — Temple University Health System and Fox Chase Cancer Center today signed an Affiliation Agreement that moves both institutions closer to bringing Fox Chase Cancer Center into the Temple family – marking a major milestone for two celebrated Philadelphia institutions that will enhance cancer research and patient care in the region, both immediately and for years to come.
"Temple is proud and privileged to welcome Fox Chase Cancer Center into its family of academic researchers and clinicians," said Ann Weaver Hart, PhD, President of Temple University.
"This bold, visionary relationship immediately establishes Temple's position as a leader in cancer care and translational research at the local, regional and national levels," said Larry R. Kaiser, MD, FACS, Senior Executive Vice President for Health Sciences of Temple University, Dean of Temple University School of Medicine, and President and CEO of Temple University Health System. "It sets the stage for many exciting opportunities to grow and enhance the cancer-related patient-care, research and educational programs of Temple's healthcare enterprise.
"The pursuit of excellence is the driving force for today's action – which offers a preview of what tomorrow represents. Indeed, this affiliation marks a fresh direction in cancer research and treatment in Philadelphia," continued Dr. Kaiser. "Sustained by the converging action of two highly respected medical institutions, it will draw on both established knowledge and original insights to pave the way for what all cancer patients and their families want and deserve – hope."
"Fox Chase is proud to be the professional home to some of the most talented and compassionate scientists, doctors, and nurses working on the cancer problem anywhere in the world," said Michael V. Seiden, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center. "But we're always working to strengthen the Center's ability to more vigorously pursue our mission to prevail over cancer, and we believe that this affiliation with Temple University Health System will do just that, enabling us to begin recruiting new researchers and clinicians almost immediately and to expand our clinical services significantly in coming years to serve the region's cancer-care needs well into the future."
Fox Chase Cancer Center is one of only two National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers in Philadelphia, and one of only 40 in the U.S. Its addition to Temple creates collaborative synergies between and among physician-scientists at Temple University School of Medicine, Fox Chase Cancer Center, and Temple Cancer Center that will accelerate the pace of further discovery and development of the most effective approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
By becoming an affiliate of Temple University Health System, Fox Chase will be able to significantly expand its outpatient and surgical-care services – within its existing facilities and through the use of leased space in Jeanes Hospital, an affiliate of Temple University Health System since 1996. Given the geographic proximity of Fox Chase to Jeanes Hospital (home to TUH's highly-regarded Bone Marrow Transplant Program), a natural byproduct of the agreement is the creation of a contiguous, 47.5-acre site to serve as Temple's "cancer hub" for the development of future innovations in cancer-care and research.
The affiliation also gives Jeanes Hospital the opportunity to meet the associated health care needs of cancer patients by providing a broad array of services on its premises in areas such as outpatient diagnostic testing, interventional radiology, breast care, general surgery, thoracic surgery, endocrine surgery, urology and diagnostic GI.
Temple University Health System will invest in cancer research at Fox Chase – providing new resources to recruit additional physician-scientists who will further advance the collaborative efforts of Temple and Fox Chase researchers in creating new knowledge and pathways for the prevention, treatment, and, ultimately, cures for cancer and cancer-related conditions.
"The affiliation of Fox Chase Cancer Center with Temple University Health System signifies an important step in the transformation of Temple's healthcare enterprise," said Jane Scaccetti, Chair of Temple University Health System's Board and a Temple University Trustee.
"The combined strength of both highly regarded institutions will fuel innovations in cancer research and patient care," added Patrick J. O'Connor, Esq., Chair of the Board of Trustees of Temple University.
"We at Fox Chase Cancer Center have long understood the potential value of joining forces with Temple University Health System, particularly with Jeanes Hospital as our immediate neighbor," said David G. Marshall, Chair of the Board of Directors of Fox Chase Cancer Center. "Thanks to the committed leadership of Dr. Michael Seiden and Dr. Larry Kaiser, we're proud to announce today an affiliation agreement that will meet Fox Chase's growth needs for the foreseeable future while bringing a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center into Temple's vibrant academic medical community."
Finally, the affiliation will bring efficiencies and savings, as economies-of-scale are recognized and leveraged across TUHS, Fox Chase Cancer Center, and Jeanes Hospital. The ability to demonstrate collaborative efficiencies is particularly important in a time when the ability to demonstrate both excellence and value matters more than ever before … to patients, payors, and grant-funding agencies.
Temple's newly-consolidated cancer hub will serve as a vital source of discovery, development, and delivery of the most effective approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment that will give patients the best of both worlds: access to the comprehensive treatments and innovative clinical-trials available at both Temple Cancer Center and Fox Chase Cancer Center. Fold in the full array of academic and clinical expertise of Temple University School of Medicine faculty, and the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic technologies available at Temple University Hospital, and it becomes clear that this affiliation will benefit all cancer patients and their families throughout the Delaware Valley … and beyond.
For more information, please visit the following Websites:
Temple University Health System — http://www.templehealth.org
Fox Chase Cancer Center — http://www.foxchase.org
Jeanes Hospital — http://www.jeanes.com