Construction continues on Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center's first freestanding clinic, despite its unprecedented financial troubles and the recent resignation of President Ronald DePinho, MD, according to the Houston Chronicle.
The 175,000-square-foot facility will be the organization's first clinical building constructed outside of the Texas Medical Center, according to the report.
MD Anderson announced plans in January to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 5 percent of its 20,000-person workforce, to improve its finances. The organization reported a combined $102 million operating loss in September and October and a $9 million operating loss in November. In December, MD Anderson lost another $58 million, bringing its operating deficit to nearly $170 million four months into its fiscal year 2017, according to the report. Leaders initially projected a $21.4 million shortfall for the September-December period in its budget approved in August.
In a Q&A article with the Houston Chronicle, Kent Postma, executive director of MD Anderson's regional operations, said construction on the new facility "is well under way. They are laying the foundation, so you're seeing a lot of activity on that campus. We're on schedule for construction, so we're aiming for a late 2018 opening day."
He said the new facility is needed to support the cancer center's growing footprint in the suburbs and enhance the patient experience. Regarding the organization's challenging financial position, Mr. Postma said, "I've been at MD Anderson for nearly two decades, and I've seen good times and some difficult times. The current financial situation is short-term. We're working through it, but it's not affecting our long-term strategy," according to the report.