Highlands Regional Medical Center Joins UK Markey Affiliate Network

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (June 14, 2017) – Highlands Regional Medical Center in Prestonsburg, Ky. announces a new affiliation with the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.

By becoming a UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network member, Highlands Regional Medical Center will now be able to offer more patients in Eastern Kentucky access to additional specialty and subspecialty care, including clinical trials and advanced technology, while allowing them to stay in their region for most treatments.

"Affiliating with the UK Markey Cancer Center opens the door to numerous resources for our hospital and community," said Harold C. Warman Jr., president and chief executive officer at Highlands Regional Medical Center. "Our staff will benefit from continued education opportunities, our community will benefit from health promotion and access to the most recent community-based cancer care, and our doctors will have access to the latest in cancer care professional education. Markey is a national leader in cancer research and care and we are grateful for our association."

Highlands Regional Medical Center is a not-for-profit, community-owned and operated hospital established to serve Floyd, Johnson, Martin, and Magoffin counties providing high-quality health services and other community resources that will develop a healthier community. 

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.

"Navigating cancer treatment can be challenging for patients and their families," said Dr. Swaty Arora, medical oncologist/hematologist at Highlands Regional Medical Center. "At Highlands, our goal is to provide standard-of-care treatment in a timely and cost-effective manner. This affiliation validates our intention to provide quality care and affords access to resources to optimize patient care."

 The UK 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."

The UK Markey Cancer Center is one of only 69 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 UK Markey Cancer Center is working toward the next tier of designation – an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Currently, 45 of the 69 NCI-designated cancer centers in the country hold a comprehensive cancer center status. The UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network will play a large role in bringing that next level of cancer funding to Kentucky.

"Kentucky is home to some of the worst cancer rates in the country," said Dr. Tim Mullett, medical director of the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network. "Collaborating with our affiliate hospitals across the state will enable us to make a positive impact on the dire cancer rates here in the Commonwealth."

The UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network began in 2006 and comprises 17 hospitals across the state of Kentucky:

• Clark Regional Medical Center, Winchester
• Frankfort Regional Medical Center
• Georgetown Community Hospital
• Hardin Memorial Hospital, Elizabethtown
• Harlan ARH Hospital
• Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana
• Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center
• Highlands Regional Medical Center, Prestonsburg
• Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, Somerset
• 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
• The Medical Center at Bowling Green
• TJ Samson Community Hospital, Glasgow
• Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center, South Williamson