PHILADELPHIA – Temple University, the Temple University Health System (TUHS) and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children announced today that they are exploring a potential affiliation in which in-patient pediatric care and selected outpatient services now provided by Temple University Children’s Medical Center would be assumed by St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. Temple University School of Medicine would conduct its clinical training program in pediatrics at St. Christopher’s.

If an agreement is reached, Temple’s pediatric physicians and faculty members would practice and teach at St. Christopher’s. However, emergency pediatric care, neo-natal intensive care and out-patient pediatric care would continue to be provided at the Temple Health Sciences Center on North Broad Street.

In a joint statement, Temple University President Ann Weaver Hart and TUHS President and CEO Joseph W. “Chip” Marshall III said:

“Temple University and TUHS are — and will remain — leaders in medical education, patient care and research. We remain absolutely committed to the healthcare of the North Philadelphia community, the city and the Philadelphia region.

“Our discussions with St. Christopher’s Hospital are part of an ongoing commitment to strengthen our programs,” they added. “An affiliation with St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children would enhance our three-fold mission of medical education, research and patient care, and it would also help TUHS address financial pressures on the system.”

St. Christopher’s Hospital, which is 1.5 miles and five minutes away from Temple University Hospital, provides outstanding medical care to children from across the city, throughout the region and around the nation. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children has been serving the healthcare needs of the Philadelphia community for more than 130 years. It is a member of the Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) family of hospitals.

“We believe this agreement, if completed, will benefit the children of Philadelphia by combining the excellent pediatric care and medical education we provide at St. Christopher’s with those at Temple,” said Bernadette Mangan, chief executive officer of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children.

Negotiations for a definitive agreement are expected to continue for several weeks. If an affiliation is created, the building that houses Temple University Children’s Medical Center could be redeployed for other healthcare delivery services. Temple officials reiterated their commitment to sustaining their close cooperation with Shriners Hospital for Children, located at Temple’s Health Sciences Center on North Broad Street.