By: Dr. Sweetenham, Executive Medical Director of Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of…
Carson Tahoe Health and Huntsman Cancer Institute Collaborate to Offer Expanded Choices for Cancer Patients in Northern Nevada
Officials from Carson Tahoe Health, in alliance with Salt Lake City-based healthcare affiliate University of Utah Health Care, today announced a new extension to their affiliation; one that will now exist between Carson Tahoe Cancer Center and Huntsman Cancer Institute. This innovative model brings new opportunities, expanded resources, and specialized care to cancer patients in Northern Nevada.
The Carson Tahoe Cancer Center is an accredited center by the Commission on Cancer, and Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) is one of the top academic cancer research institutions in the country. The new alliance builds on an existing two-year affiliation and collaboration between Carson Tahoe Health and University of Utah Health Care.
This integrated approach will offer patients additional access to a full range of regional and university-based resources, including the following:
- The same world-class protocols and standards that are provided at Huntsman Cancer Institute
- Coordinated treatment plans providing care integration with HCI’s multidisciplinary team of physicians and specialists
- Designated patient navigators to seamlessly coordinate care for patients referred to Huntsman Cancer Institute for a higher level of treatment
- Physician collaboration and informational consultations regarding oncology diagnoses and treatments through telecommunication with HCI specialists
- Virtual second opinions and consultation in real time via digital teleconferencing technologies
- Expanded access to advanced clinical trials for qualifying cancer patients
- Ongoing continuing education for Carson Tahoe physicians and staff
Huntsman Cancer Institute was recently recognized as a National Cancer Institute –Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest designation possible. It is the only cancer center to be designated by the National Cancer Institute in the five-state Intermountain West region.
“Inherent in our mission as a teaching hospital is our responsibility to share clinical best practices, research advances, and provide our community partners with the educational resources we’ve developed as a university,” said Dr. John Sweetenham, executive medical director and senior director of clinical affairs at Huntsman Cancer Institute. “We are pleased to participate in the expansion of resources to enhance the health and well-being of area residents.”
This new multidisciplinary team approach provides patients with coordinated & comprehensive treatment plans appropriate to the individual cancer diagnoses. University of Utah Health Care and Carson Tahoe Health officials stated they are confident that this alliance will not only position both organizations for success in today’s rapidly evolving healthcare environment, but provide the best possible access to cancer care for our community.
“The dynamic alliance we have with Huntsman Cancer Institute supports our vision to change the face of cancer care in Northern Nevada,” said Ed Epperson, CEO of Carson Tahoe Health. “By combining our resources and expertise with the experience and educational opportunities associated with a large, academic medical center, we are able to create an exceptional model of care specially designed to meet the unique needs within our community.”
In addition to upholding the most advanced standards and protocols, Carson Tahoe Health and University of Utah Health Care share a deep-rooted commitment to cultivate the patient experience through compassionate, personalized care.
“Having aligned organizational values and philosophies that extend above and beyond the clinical aspects of care advances the missions of both healthcare providers,” added Sweetenham. “Historically, many breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment have happened through collaboration, and we believe the Carson Tahoe Cancer Center is poised to build upon that legacy.”
Both organizations emphasize the affiliation does not change ownership, local control and governance, or restrict patient choice in providers.
About Carson Tahoe Health (CTH)
Carson Tahoe Health is a local, not-for-profit healthcare system consisting of two hospitals, two urgent cares, an emergent care center, outpatient services and a provider network with 19 regional locations. The system is headquartered on a beautiful master planned medical campus nestled among the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in North Carson City. As the system’s cornerstone, Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center (CTRMC), voted 5th most beautiful hospital in the nation, was the first Baby-Friendly designated hospital in Nevada. This magnificent facility offers a tranquil healing environment with 138 private rooms, an advanced open heart surgery program and expanded 24 hour emergency care. Also included on the medical campus is Sierra Surgery, voted #1 in Nevada for patient satisfaction, and an accredited Cancer Center by the Commission on Cancer.
About University of Utah Health Care
University of Utah Health Care is the Intermountain West’s only academic health care system, providing leading-edge and compassionate medicine for the people of Utah and a referral area encompassing five states and more than 10 percent of the continental United States. The health system includes four hospitals – University of Utah Hospital; the University of Utah Orthopaedic Center; University Neuropsychiatric Institute; and Huntsman Cancer Hospital – with more than 1,000 physicians offering care in more than 200 medical specialties. The system has been ranked among the top 10 academic health systems in the country for the past four years in the University HealthSystem Consortium’s rigorous Quality and Accountability Study.
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) is one of the world’s top academic research and cancer treatment centers. HCI manages the Utah Population Database – the largest genetic database in the world, with more than 16 million records linked to genealogies, health records, and vital statistics. Using this data, HCI researchers have identified cancer-causing genes, including the genes responsible for melanoma, colon and breast cancer, and paraganglioma. HCI is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (a 26-member alliance of the world’s leading cancer centers) and is a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. HCI treats patients with all forms of cancer and operates several high-risk clinics that focus on melanoma and breast, colon, and pancreas cancers. The HCI Cancer Learning Center for patient and public education contains one of the nation’s largest collections of cancer-related publications. The institute is named after Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., a Utah philanthropist, industrialist, and cancer survivor.
