Temple University Health System's (TUHS) takeover of Fox Chase Cancer Center became official on July 1 as the NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center became the newest TUHS affiliate.
The deal has been in the works since last December when both Philadelphia institutions signed an affiliation agreement for Temple to acquire Fox Chase.
The sales price of $83.8 million was announced in April (OT, 4/25/12).
Fox Chase will expand its outpatient and surgical-care services within its current facility as well at Jeanes Hospital, a Temple affiliate since 1996 that shares the same campus as Fox Chase.
According to a news release issued by Temple, the new relationship "also promotes collaborative synergies between and among the physician-scientists at Temple University School of Medicine and Fox Chase Cancer Center-which will accelerate the pace of further discovery and development of the most effective approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment."
"The collaboration," the release continued, between these two highly regarded institutions will enhance their ability to recruit and retain the nation's best researchers and clinicians, which in turn will help meet the health care needs of a growing patient base."
Major organizational changes may have to wait until Temple University names a new president to succeed Ann Weaver Hart, who left June 30 to assume the presidency of the University of Arizona.