Mercy Health – Springfield Celebrates New Cancer Affiliation

New signage was unveiled at the Mercy Health – Springfield Cancer Center this week, signifying an enhancement in the cancer care available to the local community. The new sign showcases an affiliation between the health system and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).

“Cancer can be a devastating disease, which means getting the care you need is only half the battle. It’s so important to be able to stay close to your loved ones and your support network. With this collaboration, our patients don’t have to choose,” said Adam Groshans, president, Mercy Health – Springfield. “They now have the compassionate care they’ve come to know as well as the expertise of a highly specialized cancer network without having to leave their own community.”

For more than 130 years, Mercy Health – Springfield, which includes the Springfield Regional Medical Center and the Urbana Hospital, has helped guide patients living with cancer from diagnosis through treatment. By aligning with Ohio’s most renowned cancer center, Mercy Health physicians and patients now also have access to the expertise and specialists at the OSUCCC – James. Specifically, the two organizations will collaborate and develop ways to offer survivorship and cancer genetics via a tele-health platform.

“We are pleased that our James Cancer Network affiliation agreement with Mercy Health – Springfield will help minimize the travel burden for patients and families in Clark and Champaign counties while providing them with close-to-home access to some of the most innovative cancer research and treatments available anywhere,” says David Cohn, MD, MBA, FACHE, interim CEO at The James. “Extending our specialized brand of research-based and compassionate cancer care into this community will further our shared vision of creating a cancer-free world.”

Cancer is the second leading cause of death nationwide and Ohio is among the nation’s leaders in both cancer rates and cancer-related mortality, ranking 8th and 6th respectively. In 2016, more than 25,000 Ohioans died of cancer. In Clark County between 2012-2016, an average of 845 new invasive cancer cases and 350 deaths occurred each year.

Mercy Health – Springfield’s cancer program provides integrated multidisciplinary care and is accredited from the nationally recognized Commission on Cancer. Using leading-edge technology, our team collaborates to provide evidence-based care to our patients to optimize recovery and survival rates.

The OSUCCC – James, which is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated comprehensive cancer center, has more than 200 oncologists, each of whom specializes in just one type of cancer. The OSUCCC – James offers expert sub-specialization, which leads to more productive integration with cancer research and, ultimately, to better outcomes.

Together, we can drive the changes that are needed to create a new state of health in our community.

This collaboration is part of a larger alliance between the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, a world-class, academic medical center and Mercy Health, the largest health care provider in the state. Healthy State Alliance is a strategic initiative to improve the health of the communities we serve by tackling Ohio’s most critical health issues, including cancer.

By bringing together the best of academic medicine and community health care in Ohio, Ohio State and Mercy Health will be uniquely positioned to make a difference in the health of our state and beyond.

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