Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta has announced the first community hospital partner for its new cancer network: Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville.
The affiliation means physicians with the South Georgia hospital will have access to Emory cancer specialists for consultations, the latest protocols and research, and a route for patients to participate in clinical trials.
Some patients may be referred for super-specialized cancer care at the Atlanta facility, but most will get treatment in Thomasville and surrounding areas, Emory said.
Dr. Walter J. Curran Jr., Winship’s executive director, said he envisions the Winship Cancer Network gaining more such hospital partners, possibly even some in neighboring states.
Curran declined to comment on whether there were any financial terms to the partnership.
Winship is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in the state of Georgia.
Chris Kane, a consultant with DHG Healthcare, said the partnership makes sense for both Emory and Archbold.
The deal “expands Archbold’s credibility and affords Emory a broader network for complex cases and research cases,’’ Kane said.
As cancer treatment is increasingly delivered in outpatient settings, patients want convenience, he said. “Yet they also want assurances that treatment protocols are world-class,’’ Kane said. “This partnership addresses these expectations.”
Andy Miller is the CEO and editor of Georgia Health News. This article was done in collaboration with Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
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