Temple Health-Chestnut Hill Hospital hosted an appreciation event on Jan. 9th for Pennsylvania State Senator Art Haywood and State Representative Tarik Khan to express gratitude for their ongoing commitment to Chestnut Hill Hospital and their support of $2.5 million in capital funding through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Program and $670,500 through the Local Share Account program.
“These funds have enabled us to develop a state-of-the-art Infusion Center, and they are helping us to purchase needed medical equipment,” said Abhi Rastogi, MBA, MIS, Executive Vice President of Temple Health and President & CEO of Temple University Hospital. “They are also helping us to modernize our facilities to offer patients and visitors a more welcoming, accessible environment, including more friendly patient waiting areas and a modern elevator to transport patients to clinical services.”
“Over the past two years, we’ve made significant service enhancements at Chestnut Hill Hospital,” Rastogi noted. “Those include advanced cancer care by Fox Chase Cancer Center specialists, minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery, a Temple Neurology program and a Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, Temple Gynecology, Temple Ophthalmology, and Temple Lung Center specialists.
“This Commonwealth funding, made possible with the support of Senator Haywood and Representative Khan, helps us fulfill our mission of making Chestnut Hill a more comprehensive community hospital where patients get the best care possible, with the advances and innovation of a leading academic medical center in a close-to-home, community hospital setting,” Rastogi said.
Chestnut Hill Champions
“When it comes to protecting the health and wellbeing of our communities, Senator Haywood and Representative Khan are the real deal,” said Richard Newell, MPT, DPT, President & CEO of Temple Health-Chestnut Hill Hospital. “When Chestnut Hill Hospital was eligible for various Commonwealth funding awards to strengthen our ability to serve our communities, they went to bat for us.”
“I can’t express how happy I was to hear that Temple Health and its partners were stepping in to purchase Chestnut Hill Hospital,” Senator Haywood said. “This hospital has been so important to this community because of its care, its services, and its community outreach. I’m glad to continue being a part of having a strong Chestnut Hill Hospital.”
“No matter who you are, you’re invested in the success of this hospital,” Representative Khan said. “Abhi and Rich want to turn a great community hospital into a destination hospital—and we’ve already seen that start to happen with the Infusion Center. That’s why Senator Haywood and I are fighting for Chestnut Hill Hospital. You have no better champions for Chestnut Hill Hospital than us, because your success is our success, and your patient’s success, and Chestnut Hill’s success.”
Bringing the Highest-Quality Care into the Community
Clinical Director of Infusion Services Jennie Gilliland, MSN, RN, OCN also spoke to the importance of the new Infusion Center. “With our presence here in Chestnut Hill in this beautiful facility, we are able to bring high-quality care and an excellent patient experience directly to this community,” she said. “This kind of care is essential to the treatment and outcomes of our patients with cancer and other diagnoses. Although we are miles from Fox Chase’s Main Campus, we represent Fox Chase Cancer Center here—not only in name and with our brand, but with our people, our skill, and our quality.”
Gilliland also noted that the Chestnut Hill Infusion Center is one of just two sites within the Health System to offer a range of infusion services. “In addition to Hematology/Oncology, our infusion services include GI, Endocrinology, and Neurology in connection with physician practices throughout our Temple Health network and the larger community,” she explained.
Gilliland closed by thanking Senator Haywood and Representative Khan for their support, before presenting them with ceremonial tokens on behalf of Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple Health as a whole. “Together, we are making an important difference in the lives of our patients at Chestnut Hill Hospital and the quality of their care,” she said.
