Memorial Hospital, IU Cancer Center join in fight against cancer

Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center and the Indiana University Cancer Center announced an affiliation agreement on Tuesday, Feb. 27. The agreement gives the Jasper hospital priority access to the resources and services of the IU Cancer Center, an IU School of Medicine and Clarian Health partnership.

The affiliation includes clinical, research and educational components. The clinical component ensures priority access to IU Cancer Center, its reports and results to Memorial's referring physicians and their patients and makes IU Cancer Center physicians available for second opinions.

The research component makes it possible for MHHCC patients to enroll in clinical trials at the IU Cancer Center and through the Hoosier Oncology Group, a working association of IU medical center physicians and 400 oncologists statewide.

The educational component will allow the Memorial Hospital staff to have educational opportunities including participation in grand rounds and conferences, special education venues, lectures by IU faculty and training for non-physician staff.

The agreement was announced Feb. 27 by MHHCC President and CEO Ray Snowden and IU Cancer Center administrator Fuad M. Hammoudeh in a joint news conference in Jasper.

Snowden noted that this would "bring a higher level of clinical, research and educational components to the hospital's new Lange-Fuhs Cancer Center." Snowden also recognized Jasper resident and IU Cancer Center Gift Development Board member Jim Birk, a Jasper resident, for his efforts at initiating the affiliation discussion in early 2006. "Jim's involvement, interest, and countless hours have helped" said Snowden.

"We welcome this opportunity to coordinate and collaborate with Memorial Hospital," said Hammoudeh, "to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their loved ones treated at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center and its new cancer center in Jasper."

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