Rosamae Neil Smith
April 14, 2008
Charles "Charlie" Herbert Rice Jr.
April 16, 2008
Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma has announced that the hospital has discussed developing a new comprehensive cancer-care program at the medical center site, collaborating with the physicians group Cancer Care Specialists. Plans for the new partnership are not final.
Terrebonne General and Cancer Care Specialists already provide extensive cancer diagnosis and treatment programs, including medical oncology, radiation oncology and some imaging services. The collaborative effort would centralize those services at Terrebonne General.
“This new collaboration is about how we can bring all of our services together for more localization so that it becomes more convenient for the patient,” said Terrebonne General spokeswoman Rhonda Alford.
The partnership would also allow Terrebonne General to increase its cancer education programs, Alford said.
Integrated Oncology Solutions, a subsidiary of the Louisiana-based Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, may help to design a cancer facility and develop programs, according to a release.
“Fighting cancer is one of our priorities, and we know the devastating impact this disease has on our families and friends in this community,” hospital CEO and president Phyllis Peoples said in a release. “We are constantly evaluating new and innovative ways to expand service to the community, and the opportunity to work with our local oncologists has great potential to expand upon our existing cancer-care programs.”
Touting Cancer Care Specialists’ 45-plus years of experience in the field, Alford said a partnership has been discussed for some time. Recently, she said talks have advanced to a new level.
According to Dr. Raul Doria, a physician partner of Cancer Care Specialists, “Local access to high quality cancer care and community-based programs focused on cancer is a need across the state.”
