Beginning in April, Boston-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital will phase out all currently contracted Dana-Farber Cancer Institute physician assistants by the end of 2026, according to a Feb. 12 Boston Globe report.
Dana-Farber, also based in Boston, is ending its longtime partnership with Brigham in 2028 and plans to construct a freestanding inpatient cancer hospital with Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Since the 2023 announcement, Dana-Farber and Beth Israel received approval from the city to develop the cancer hospital, estimated to cost $1.68 billion.
Meanwhile, Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham — Brigham’s corporate parent — established the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute and unveiled plans to invest $400 million to expand oncology services.
Both health systems shared news of significant philanthropic gifts on Feb. 4, with Dana-Farber receiving the largest single gift in the institute’s history and Mass General Hospital receiving $35 million to fund two cancer-focused facilities within the Phillip and Susan Ragon Building, currently under construction.
According to the Globe, Dana-Farber Chief Medical Officer Craig Bunnell, MD, in an internal email said the organization had been seeking “a mutually agreed upon transition plan” to allow for an organized ramp-down process that would minimize staff disruption and prioritize patient care. He described Brigham’s recent actions as “a departure from those expectations.”
Becker’s has reached out to Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available.
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