Six Michigan health care systems are banding together to develop a $160 million high-tech cancer treatment center, putting them in competition with Beaumont Hospitals to build the first such facility in Michigan.

Only five proton beam cancer centers exist in the U.S.

Participating in the Michigan consortium are Henry Ford Health System, University of Michigan Health System, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, McLaren Health Care, Trinity Health and Ascension Health.

The consortium was made possible through support from the state's Certificate of Need Commission, which oversees health care projects to make sure expensive services aren't needlessly duplicated. The commission adopted a new standard last month requiring hospitals to work together to provide proton beam therapy rather than each competing to offer the service.

In the coming months, consortium participants must decide on a location for the center and whether to operate it as a nonprofit or for-profit entity. It has until Sept. 6 to submit a business plan to the commission outlining the project costs and funding sources, or risk the commission repealing or modifying the standard.

Karmanos CEO Dr. John Ruckdeschel said that's enough of an incentive to keep the consortium moving forward. "The state and the CON commission have been very careful that we don't dilly dally on this," he said.

Proton beam therapy is a type of radiation that uses protons rather than photons, allowing for more targeted delivery of the radiation so as to spare organs and healthy tissue.

Beaumont's two hospitals and the West Michigan Cancer Center in Kalamazoo also meet requirements to join the consortium. Hospitals with more than 30,000 advanced radiation visits a year can participate.

Those organizations have until June 5 to decide whether to participate in the group venture; they must send a letter to the state agreeing to contribute a share of the estimated $13 million in start-up costs.

The new standard still must go before Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the state legislature; if neither takes action, the rule will go into effect in mid-June.

Beaumont officials said Tuesday they intend to stick with their original plan to developing the center in partnership with ProCure Treatment Centers Inc. out of Indiana. They hope the standard will be struck down by either Granholm or state legislators, clearing the way for Beaumont's application. If its plan is approved, Beaumont said it would have the facility opened by 2010.

"Our position remains the same. We have a proposal that can bring proton beam therapy to Michigan years before this collaboration can," said Michael Killian, Beaumont's vice president for marketing and public affairs. He noted the consortium may run into delays trying to agree on specifics such as location and funding.

The consortium believes that because of the proton center's expense, a collaborative effort would be most cost-effective and reach the maximum number of patients.

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last updated: 06/03/08

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