T.J. Samson Joins Markey Affiliate Network
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 23, 2018) -- T.J. Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow, Ky. announces a new affiliation with the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.
Previously, T.J. Samson had entered into a formal collaboration with the UK Markey Cancer Center to help develop its oncology service line. The relationship helped the hospital strengthen patient navigation, psychosocial support, survivorship and rehabilitation services with the ultimate goal of earning a full affiliation with the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network.
“At T.J. Regional Health, our vision is to utilize available resources to anticipate and exceed the health care needs of the region with a focus on quality and compassionate care,” said Bud Wethington, President and CEO of T.J. Regional Health. “Our affiliation with the UK Markey Cancer Center allows us to further enhance care available to cancer patients and shows our commitment to go above and beyond the standard level of care for these patients.”
By joining the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network, T.J. Samson will now be able to further enhance care available to patients in southcentral Kentucky, while allowing patients to stay closer to home and their support systems for their treatments.
T.J. Samson currently provides oncology services at the T.J. Health Pavilion under the direction of Dr. Donald Goodin and Dr. Yashpal Modi. Dr. Goodin and Dr. Modi are both board-certified in hematology/oncology and they work closely with Dr. William Tyree at the Barren River Regional Cancer Center. Dr. Tyree is board-certified in radiation oncology and has been practicing in southcentral Kentucky since 2013.
These physicians, along with their highly trained staff, provide complex oncology services including diagnostic imaging, surgery, radiation, palliative care and chemotherapy close to home.
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. The affiliate network is especially important for Kentucky, where cancer rates are the highest in the nation.
"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. "The affiliate network provides a way for us to directly address this problem by providing access to programs and services that each hospital needs to fight cancer in their own region. We want patients to receive treatment close to home if they can, but Markey is here to provide advanced care and clinical trials for patients who have more complex cancers."
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.
The UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network was created in 2006 and comprises the following 20 hospitals across the Commonwealth 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
- King's Daughters Medical Center, Ashland
- Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, Somerset
- Methodist Hospital, Henderson
- Norton Cancer Institute, Louisville (Norton Healthcare-UK HealthCare partnership)
- Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, Ashland
- Owensboro Health Regional Hospital
- Rockcastle Regional Hospital, Mt. Vernon
- St. Claire Regional Medical Center, Morehead
- St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Edgewood
- The Medical Center at Bowling Green
- TJ Samson Community Hospital, Glasgow
- Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center, South Williamson