Fox Chase Cancer Center (Fox Chase) and Temple Health today announced that Alex Khariton, MBA, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Fox Chase and Senior Vice President for Cancer Services across Temple Health effective February 23, 2026. Khariton joins Fox Chase during a period of sustained growth and integration of its clinical services and research enterprise across Temple Health, the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Temple University.
“Operational excellence is at the heart of Temple Health’s drive to set a new standard for expanding access to life-changing care backed by cutting edge research and the resources of a leading research University,” said Abhinav Rastogi, MBA, MIA, President & CEO of Temple Health. “Alex will play a central role leading major strategic initiatives at Fox Chase Cancer Center that will broaden the reach of our cancer care, expand the impact of our academic mission, and deliver outcomes that make a real difference for patients – in Philadelphia and across the country.”
Khariton brings more than 25 years of healthcare experience to Fox Chase and comes from the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson Health, where he has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2024 and Vice President of Cancer Services since in 2019.
In his new role, Khariton will oversee clinical operations at Fox Chase Cancer Center’s main campus, 11 satellite locations, and integrated cancer services across Temple Health. His primary focus areas will be continued growth throughout the cancer service line, ongoing expansion of network locations, and strengthening connectivity and collaboration between Fox Chase’s pathfinding cancer research and Temple University partners.
“Alex brings deep operational expertise, strong market insight, and a proven record of results for patients in the city of Philadelphia and across the region,” said Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS, President and CEO, Fox Chase Cancer Center; EVP, Cancer Services, Temple Health; and Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Cancer Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. “Over the past several years Fox Chase’s access sites have doubled, patient volume has grown 15%, and we continue to grow our clinical footprint. Alex’s leadership will be instrumental in advancing our system cancer clinical operations while reinforcing their connectivity to our research enterprise. We are excited to welcome him at such a pivotal moment for our institution.”
Since joining Jefferson Health in 2012, Khariton has held roles of increasing responsibility overseeing the design and planning of a new ambulatory tower and leading electronic medical record implementation to standardize processes and increase clinical trial accruals. As COO of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, he led major clinical program expansions, strengthened system cancer operations, advanced cellular therapy and theranostics initiatives, and oversaw efforts that resulted in oncology achieving the highest staff engagement and satisfaction scores across the health system.
After beginning his healthcare career as a radiation therapist at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, N.J., Khariton served as Administrative Director for the Department of Radiation Oncology at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J. He earned his Master of Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business Leadership Development Program. He has also served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Radiological Sciences, Healthcare Economics, and Technology at Thomas Jefferson University.
Khariton succeeds Joel Helmke, MSHP, FACHE, who departs Fox Chase after five years of service, leaving the organization in a position of strength following significant clinical and operational progress.
“Fox Chase has a powerful legacy in cancer care, research, and education,” Khariton said. “As part of Temple University, Fox Chase is an anchor institution in Philadelphia and I’m honored to join this exceptional team and look forward to partnering with colleagues across Fox Chase and Temple Health as we continue to expand access to high-quality cancer care and advance discovery for the patients and communities we serve.”