Determination of Need helps pave the way for the region's only dedicated cancer hospital, amid a multi-agency regulatory process
The Massachusetts Public Health Council (PHC) voted unanimously at a meeting today to approve a Determination of Need (DON) for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to build a 300-bed cancer hospital in the Longwood Medical Area.
Dana-Farber is renowned for its revolutionary, groundbreaking research and expert, highly specialized patient care. The newly approved hospital will function as the primary connector at the center of the clinical collaboration between Dana-Farber, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians (HMFP). It will be the only hospital of its kind in the region.
According to the American Cancer Society, over two million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year and more than 618,000 people will die from the disease. It is estimated that there will be 44,000 new cases in Massachusetts. Additionally, the global cancer burden continues to grow. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that the number of cancer deaths worldwide per year will climb to 11.9 million in 2030 and reach 18.5 million by 2050.
"We appreciate the ongoing work of our regulatory agencies, including the Department of Public Health, to ensure that world-class cancer care is available to everyone who needs it," said President and CEO Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD. "This is an extraordinary opportunity for Boston and the Commonwealth. While the incidence of cancer is rising, what we do now will determine our ability to meet the pace of the disease here and across the region."
"In a dedicated cancer hospital, cancer isn't just one of many service lines. It's a singular focus. Many studies have shown that patient outcomes are superior in centers that focus exclusively on cancer," said William Hahn, MD, PhD, executive vice president and chief operating and transformation officer. "From the facility design to our investment in people, resources, and technology, our collective energy will be focused on defeating cancer."
First announced in September 2023, the new hospital will be located on the current site of the Joslin Diabetes Center along Brookline Avenue-adjacent to both BIDMC and DFCI, creating an interlocking campus and a seamless patient experience. Recognizing that cancer care often requires integrated care between oncologists and other medical specialties, the clinical collaboration with BIDMC and HMFP will include expert sub-specialist clinicians, such as surgical oncologists, onco-cardiologists, and oncologic pathologists, and will be supported by a nursing team specifically trained to provide oncology care. While the new hospital will be owned and operated by Dana-Farber under its license, the joint clinical teams will maintain a patient care model that reduces barriers to treatment and advances patient access to clinical trials and other cutting-edge treatment protocols.
Based on an Independent Cost Analysis (ICA) from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), the new inpatient cancer hospital will enhance the delivery of cost-effective care in the Commonwealth. Similarly, the Health Policy Commission (HPC) released a Cost and Market Impact Review (CMIR) that projected inpatient cost savings driven by Dana-Farber's collaboration with BIDMC.
