Dana-Farber Cancer Institute secured state approval Thursday to move ahead with plans to build a nearly $1.7 billion standalone hospital in Boston’s Longwood Medical Area.

After nearly three hours of discussion, the state Public Health Council agreed to Dana-Farber’s “determination of need” request , an application vetted by health regulators , to build a hospital at 1 Joslin Place with 300 adult inpatient beds, plus 20 observation beds. Dana-Farber intends to partner with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center on the venture as it ends a long-standing agreement with Mass General Brigham, which earlier this week announced a $400 million investment into its own cancer institute fueled by the split.

“The applicant states that over the past 10 years, the number of innovative and complex treatments that require inpatient hospitalization for either administration or monitoring of the therapy has increased, which in turn increases need for inpatient capacity,” said Dennis Renaud, director of the DoN program.

Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, a Dana-Farber patient, and Rep. Chynah Tyler, who represents the Longwood area, voiced support for the future hospital, and encouraged council members to vote in favor of the project. Meanwhile, an MGB Cancer leader raised a bevy of concerns, including where Dana-Farber would find enough patients to fill the hospital and if the system would end up poaching workers from community hospitals.

Ferrante, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021 and undergoes chemotherapy every other week, said Dana-Farber’s future hospital “represents hope for better health outcomes, improved patient experiences and longer lives.” The Gloucester Democrat reflected on stressful visits to more “traditional” emergency departments when she experiences treatment complications.

“Massachusetts needs a dedicated cancer hospital with urgent care observation for these reasons. It needs a streamlined process that allows patients like me to get to their cancer teams more quickly, reducing the risk of exposure to viruses that could have life-threatening implications for those of us with compromised immune systems,” Ferrante said. “Your approval of the staff report is a win-win for the commonwealth, and most importantly, for patients.”

At Dana-Farber’s intended new hospital, 30 inpatient beds would be transferred from MGB’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital at 75 Francis St., according to its October 2023 application to the Department of Public Health. Dana-Farber, which has leased those beds from BWH, has argued creating its own cancer hospital -- proposed to total more than 688,000 square feet -- will boost patient care outcomes and keep up with increasingly complex medical needs.

Dana-Farber and BWH’s clinical affiliation, which started in 1997, is slated to end in 2028. Dana-Farber is entering into a new collaboration with BIDMC, Beth Israel Lahey and Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians, a deal that’s already been vetted by the Health Policy Commission .

The project is expected to generate thousands of new jobs, and Dana-Farber is required to pay more than $60 million in local community health initiatives, such as creating new housing developments. The new hospital will be situated at the current site of the Joslin Diabetes Center along Brookline Avenue, Dana-Farber said.

MGB outlined plans this week to invest in its own cancer institute, including pursuing major renovations at BWH and Faulkner Hospital, with the aim of being prepared to care for patients before the split from Dana-Farber happens.

Dr. David Ryan, physician-in-chief at MGB Cancer, explained to the council Thursday why his system has a “fundamental disagreement with Dana-Farber about where they will get their patients.”

Ryan contended cancer patients rely on multiple provider teams beyond oncologists and most are likely to stay within MGB’s network rather than switch to Dana-Farber’s new hospital. He predicted that no more than 30% of BWH patients would move to Dana-Farber, which he said would end up drawing other patients from BIDMC providers and facilities.

“Perhaps more importantly, there will need to be a shift from existing practices at community hospitals, where care is provided at lower cost, to fill the remainder of the inpatient beds that are being requested,” Ryan said. “This shift in patients will have profound impacts on health care in our market and throughout New England.”

Dana-Farber CEO Dr. Benjamin Ebert, in response to a council member’s question about the requested bed count, said the future hospital will likely be full, or even over capacity, on opening day.

“In terms of not all the patients coming over, we absolutely disagree with the characterization that those patients won’t come over. I would say the relationship between a medical oncologist and their patient is among the strongest in medicine,” Ebert said. “And if a patient has a long-term relationship with a medical oncologist, the idea that they could have an interaction in the emergency room and will suddenly become a Brigham patient, or have an interaction with a primary care doctor and will suddenly go to Mass General, is false.”

Ryan also took issue with Dana-Farber plans to hire 2,400 new workers, warning other health care providers will lose their staff and struggle to find replacements. In its recent report, the HPC said the transaction could pull oncology providers away from community hospitals and “substantially increase spending for outpatient care due to DCFI’s high outpatient prices.”

“Most of the 2,400 new positions have to be filled from existing community hospitals and academic centers,” Ryan said. “The loss of these providers and the competition for a limited labor pool where DFCI is at the top of the market for nursing care will certainly drive up labor costs and the total cost of medical care in general.”

Anne Gross, Dana-Farber’s senior vice president for patient care services, said she’s focused on addressing shortages among college faculty and clinical placements in hospitals that are contributing to health care workforce challenges. She also outlined Dana-Farber’s approach to partnering with Northeastern University nursing students and creating residency programs for new nurses.

“Of great importance is we’ve just completed the first phase of a large, 7,500-square-foot simulation center where we’re starting to train through simulation all of our students that come through here, as well as all new employees, our residents, nurses and other clinicians who are in our fellowship programs,” Gross said.