Methodist Hospital in Henderson Joins UK Markey Affiliate Network
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 19, 2014) – Kentucky faces some of the highest rates of cancer incidence and mortality in the nation, but Methodist Hospital in Western Kentucky is stepping up the fight against cancer. The Methodist Hospital organization in Henderson, Ky., has announced a new affiliation with the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, the state's first and only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.
Methodist Hospital CEO Bruce Begley said the announcement meant great things for their patients.
“The Methodist Hospital affiliation with the UK Markey Cancer Center brings to this region nationally ranked cancer treatment close to home," Begley said. "We believe this is a big step in the continuing battle against cancer, and I appreciate UK HealthCare's overall mission of extending high-quality cancer care to all Kentuckians.”
"We are extremely excited and proud for our cancer care program to become an affiliate of the Markey Cancer Center," said Dr. Arshad Husain, medical director of hematology and oncology at Methodist Hospital. "This alliance means great things for our patients. It will enable us to offer access to the latest practices in diagnosis and treatment of cancers and blood disorders, including clinical trials – thus providing a higher level of cancer care in our neighborhood."
The UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network was created to provide high-quality cancer care closer to home for patients across the region, and to minimize the effects of cancer through prevention and education programs, exceptional clinical care, and access to research.
Methodist Hospital in Henderson is a 192-bed acute care facility and is just one facet of the Methodist Hospital Healthcare system. Other facilities serving the area include
Methodist Hospital Union County, a critical access hospital in nearby Morganfield, Ky., and 19 outpatient physician offices with 47 providers over a four-county service area.
By becoming a UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate, Methodist Hospital is in keeping with the organization’s mission to provide safe, compassionate, high quality, and cost-effective services to the communities served. The Methodist Hospital Healthcare system will now be able to offer their patients access to additional specialty and subspecialty physicians and care, including clinical trials and advanced technology, while allowing them to stay in western Kentucky for most treatments.
The Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network supports UK HealthCare's overall mission of ensuring no Kentuckian will have to leave the state to get access to top-of-the-line health care.
"UK HealthCare doesn't just serve Lexington and central Kentucky – our mission is to provide all Kentuckians with the best possible care right here in the state," said Dr. Michael Karpf, UK executive vice president for health affairs. "The Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network allows us to collaborate with community hospitals to provide top-notch cancer care much closer to home -- saving both travel expenses and time for the patients, in addition to keeping them close to their personal support system."
Markey is one of only 68 medical centers in the country to earn an NCI cancer center designation. Because of the designation, Markey patients have access to new drugs, treatment options and clinical trials offered only at NCI centers.
Moving forward, the Markey Cancer Center is working toward the next tier of designation – an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Currently, 41 of the 68 NCI-designated cancer centers in the country hold a comprehensive cancer center status. The Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network will play a large role in bringing that next level of cancer funding to Kentucky.
"The burden of cancer in Kentucky is huge, and unfortunately we have some of the worst cancer rates in the country," said Dr. Mark Evers, director of the UK Markey Cancer Center. "By collaborating with our affiliate hospitals across the state, we have the potential to make a serious impact on cancer care here in the Commonwealth."
The UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network began in 2006 and comprises 12 hospitals across the state of Kentucky:
- Frankfort Regional Medical Center
- Georgetown Community Hospital
- Hardin Memorial Hospital, Elizabethtown
- Harlan ARH Hospital
- Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana
- Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center
- Methodist Hospital, Henderson
- Norton Cancer Institute, Louisville (Norton Healthcare-UK HealthCare partnership)
- Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, Ashland
- Rockcastle Regional Hospital, Mt. Vernon
- St. Claire Regional Medical Center, Morehead
- Williamson ARH Hospital
Evaluations are under way for several other hospitals, including two more outside the state of Kentucky, extending Markey's reach and establishing it as the destination cancer center for the region.