Mercy Celebrates New Cancer Affiliation

From Urbana Daily Citizen

With an over 130-year history of providing compassionate care in the Springfield community, 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. Today, the resources and care provided to patients will become even more comprehensive because of an affiliation between Mercy Health – Springfield and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).

As the Springfield region’s largest health system, Mercy Health – Springfield has aligned with Ohio’s most renowned cancer center to provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art and compassionate cancer care to our community. This affiliation will provide Mercy Health – Springfield Cancer Center physicians and patients access to the expertise
and specialists at the OSUCCC – James while allowing patients to stay close to home where they will be near their loved ones and support system.

Specifically, Mercy Health-Springfield’s Cancer Center and OSUCCC James will collaborate and develop ways to offer survivorship and cancer genetics via a tele-health platform.

“Mercy Health – Springfield and the OSUCCC – James are creating a sophisticated collaboration that offers enhanced benefits to our patients,” said Adam Groshans, president, Mercy Health – Springfield.

“We are proud to be partnering with such a respected name in cancer care and believe that together we can make a difference in the lives of those who are battling this disease.”

“Expanding access to high-quality cancer care and clinical trials while minimizing the travel burden for patients and families is a priority at the OSUCCC – James. We know that through this collaboration with Mercy Health – Springfield, more patients in Clark and Champaign counties will have access to the most innovative and state-of-the-art cancer treatments and research available. There is nothing more important to us than curing cancer, and this new affiliation enables us to expand the scope of cancer care into the community while extending our shared vision of creating a cancer- free world,” says William Farrar, MD, CEO at the OSUCCC – James.

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.

“Cancer has likely impacted most people’s lives in some form. It can be a very difficult and frightening diagnosis,” said Dr. Singh, a medical oncologist. “Residents of Springfield and the surrounding communities can now be comforted in knowing that the Mercy Health - Springfield team is collaborating with the ultra-specialized experts from The James. We are dedicated to conquering cancer and will start by treating the patients in the community we serve.”

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 with the goal of transforming the health of the communities we serve.

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.