MaineHealth on Thursday launched the Cancer Care Network, thanks to a $10 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation.
The network links MaineHealth’s 12 members as well as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and MaineHealth officials say it will provide the best cancer care possible, whether a patient lives in Portland or Palermo.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Maine. And every year, there are 9,000 new cases diagnosed, says the chief of oncology at Maine Medical Center, Dr. Scot Remick.
“We need to build an enterprise that can take care of those patients, and cancer care is evolving like no other aspect of medicine,” he says.
To provide better care that will make more patients survivors, MaineHealth is launching the Cancer Care Network. The company says it creates stronger links between MaineHealth members across the state.
Currently, Remick says, larger hospitals have specialized physician boards to consult on specific cancer cases. The network makes that available to smaller hospitals.
“Now you can refer that case into our system-level tumor board, to have a little bit more insight on how best to care for a patient,” he says.
The network also promises to create stronger ties with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dana-Farber oncologist Dr. Beth Overmoyer says the institute will collaborate with MaineHealth doctors on patient cases and provide expedited access for those who need treatment in Boston.
“We see a fair number of cases from this area, and we want to be part of the solution to make sure that people in Maine have easy access to the level of care they need,” she says.
Ideally, that care will be provided closer to home whenever possible. To help with that, the network is expanding its number of nurse navigators, who coordinate patient care.
Sanford resident Penny Jacques says when she was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago, her nurse navigator was indispensable.
“The nurse navigator set everything up for me. I didn’t know who to call. And she just set me up with all of my appointments. I didn’t have to worry about it, and she went with me on a couple of the appointments. And it was just the peace of mind, because I mean, because your head is kind of spinning,” she says.
Jacques, who attended the announcement about the network, says she is doing well now. Her oncologist, Dr. Eva Zaslavsky, says the network strives to ensure every cancer patient in the MaineHelath system receives that same kind of support, whether through a navigator, or innovative treatment options.
“Right now we don’t have a strong clinical trial program, and we are planning to expand on that, and I think Dana-Farber will provide a lot of guidance and expertise on that,” Zaslavsky says.
MaineHealth has been building this Cancer Care Network for a few years, but company officials say it’s the $10 million infusion from the Harold Alfond Foundation that made it a reality. The chairman of the foundation, Greg Powell, says the official launch also marks the 10th anniversary of Harold Alfond’s death from cancer.
“He saw firsthand how care delivered in a coordinated, patient-centered manner can make all the difference for the patient, and the patient’s family,” Powell says.
And as cancer treatments evolve rapidly, Remick says the network puts MaineHealth in a good position to provide state-of-the-art care for all its patients.
This story was originally published on June 15, 2017 at 6:07 p.m. ET.
