Newmarket, Ontario to establish world-class cancer centre

Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) will share its latest knowledge, research in cancer care, and expertise to assist Southlake Regional Health Centre (Southlake) in establishing a world-class cancer centre through a formal affiliation between a world leader in cancer care and the newly established cancer program in the Newmarket-based hospital.

Scheduled to open in mid-2009, Southlake's new cancer centre will provide cancer diagnostics, cancer surgery, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and follow-up care to the more than one million people who reside in the geographical area known as the Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).

“Our collaboration will be a win-win as we work together to advance world-class cancer care services in this rapidly growing region,” says PMH's Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz, Medical Director, Cancer Program, University Health Network (UHN). “This is a tremendous opportunity for Canada's largest cancer research and teaching hospital to partner with a new cancer program -- particularly the first centre in Ontario planning to open with one of the most advanced radiation treatment techniques, Image Guided Radiation Therapy -- by sharing knowledge, research and expertise that will benefit patients closer to home.”

In a signed memorandum of understanding, effective April 1, 2007, the two hospitals agreed that their objectives will be the provision of quality cancer services at Southlake's new Regional Cancer Centre and the enhancement of the Princess Margaret Hospital's collaborative clinical, research and education programs.

“Southlake is committed to ensuring that when cancer strikes, the residents of York Region and the Central LHIN will have access to high-quality cancer radiation therapy closer to home,” says Dan Carriere, President and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre. “To honour this commitment we must accomplish two major feats: build a state-of-the-art facility, which is currently in progress, and ensure that we have a healthcare team that is ready to deliver world-class care. Our partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital provides a priceless opportunity for Southlake's cancer team to work with internationally renowned experts in the field of cancer treatment and research.”

Other areas of focus will include mentoring and support during the startup of the new Regional Cancer Centre; development and application of precision radiation therapy techniques; clinical research programs and clinical drug trials; comprehensive education programs, and e-Health initiatives, such as developing processes for sharing clinical protocols, treatment plans and patient related information.

"Partnering with PMH, a cancer centre with established excellence in cancer services delivery, is a very positive step toward building a Regional Cancer Program that delivers the latest advances in cancer treatment to the people of Central LHIN," says Terrence Sullivan, president and CEO, Cancer Care Ontario. "Partnerships like this one within and across LHINs will be critical as more new cancer centres get up and running in the coming years."

As part of the new working relationship, joint performance targets will be set to define the quantity, quality and cost-effectiveness of services, and monitoring of progress toward these targets.

“University Health Network is involved in many excellent and productive partnerships focused on providing the best patient care, and we look forward to our affiliation with Southlake,” says Dr. Robert Bell, UHN President & CEO.

Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, Ontario Cancer Institute, have achieved an international reputation as global leaders in the fight against cancer. PMH is a member of the University Health Network, which also includes Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital. All three are research and teaching hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto. For more information, go to www.uhn.ca.

Southlake Regional Health Centre is a full service hospital that has been designated by the Province of Ontario to offer regional or clinically advanced programs. With the opening of the regional cancer centre in 2009, Southlake will be the only non-teaching hospital in Ontario to specialize in both cancer and cardiac care and to offer a total of five regional programs. For more information, go to www.southlakeregional.org.

Southlake is part of the Central LHIN—one of 14 LHINs that have been established by the government of Ontario to help transform the healthcare system. The Central LHIN boundaries include a northern section of the City of Toronto, most of York Region, and a part of south Simcoe County. LHINs are community-based organizations that have the mandate to plan, co-ordinate, integrate and fund health services at the local level including hospitals, long-term care homes, community care access centres, community support services, community mental health and addictions services and community health centres.