Saint Anne’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute sign agreement to enhance oncology services in Southeastern Massachusetts

8/28/2009

Saint Anne’s also renews radiation oncology agreement with Brigham and Women’s Hospital

FALL RIVER, MA - Saint Anne’s Hospital, a Caritas Family Hospital, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that outlines their commitment to provide residents of Fall River and Southeastern Massachusetts with state-of-the-art oncology care. Saint Anne’s has also signed a professional service agreement to continue its longstanding relationship in radiation oncology with Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Saint Anne’s Hospital to help ensure that patients in Southeastern Massachusetts will have access to the latest in cancer care and clinical trials,” said Lawrence N. Shulman, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president for medical affairs at Dana-Farber.

“By joining forces with Dana-Farber, we combine the strength of Saint Anne’s Cancer Care Program, the largest and most advanced cancer care provider in Southeastern Massachusetts, with the world-renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to deliver the very best cancer care available anywhere, and all delivered close to home where it is convenient for our patients,” said Sister Vimala Vadakumpadan,  O.P., provincial, Dominican Sisters of the Presentation and board chair of Saint Anne’s Hospital Board of Trustees.

As part of this agreement, Dana-Farber will assist in the recruitment of key personnel in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Saint Anne’s. The two hospitals also will develop a management agreement, which will outline Dana-Farber’s commitment to provide certain management services on-site in support of Saint Anne’s medical oncology service, including reviewing its policies, care processes and patient information management technology.

Brigham and Women’s has partnered with Saint Anne’s to provide comprehensive radiation oncology services for more than 15 years. The services include some of the most advanced external and internal treatment technologies available – many of which are otherwise available only in large academic medical centers – all provided on-site at Saint Anne’s Regional Cancer Care centers.

“Having Dana-Farber share its expertise in medical oncology with us at Saint Anne’s is a natural extension of our clinical and research partnership in Boston,” said Jay Harris, MD, chair, Department of Radiation Oncology at Brigham and Women’s and Dana-Farber. “This will greatly enhance the quality of oncology services.”

Located in Fall River, Mass., Saint Anne’s Hospital (www.SaintAnnesHospital.org) is a community hospital with comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, serving southeastern Massachusetts and nearby Rhode Island.  Saint Anne’s oncology program, founded in 1976, cares for more than 6,000 patients annually, at the Hudner Oncology Center at Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, as well as in their newly-opened oncology care center in Dartmouth, Mass. and consultation offices in Fall River and Newport, RI.  Through collaborations with Brigham and Women’s and Dana-Farber, Saint Anne’s provides an array of advanced cancer care services and technologies in the convenience of a community setting.  Founded in 1906 by the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation, who continue to co-sponsor the hospital, Saint Anne's Hospital is a member of Caritas Christi, the largest community-based healthcare system in New England and the 10th largest employer in Massachusetts.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (www.dana-farber.org) is a principal teaching affiliate of the Harvard Medical School and is among the leading cancer research and care centers in the United States. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. It is the top ranked cancer center in New England, according to U.S. News & World Report, and one of the largest recipients among independent hospital recipients of National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health grant funding.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) is a 777-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery system. BWH is committed to excellence in patient care with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. For more information, visit www.brighamandwomens.org.

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