City of Hope and Providence Health & Services Pursue Partnership in Cancer Care

City of Hope and Providence Health & Services Pursue Partnership in Cancer Care

City of HopeTami Dennis, 626-228-8724orProvidencePatricia Aidem, 818-496-4780

City of Hope and Providence Health & Services, Southern California, announced today their intent to expand access to uniquely compassionate, high-quality oncology services within the Southern California communities served by Providence.

City of Hope is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, one of only 41 in the nation to have received this status, and its research and treatment protocols have advanced cancer care across the nation. Providence, one of the largest mission-driven health-care organizations in the Los Angeles area, is anchored by five hospitals, operates the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center in Burbank and the regional TrinityCare and TrinityKids Care hospice programs, and has three affiliated physician groups and numerous outpatient centers.

The two organizations signed a letter of intent this week to bring City of Hope’s research-driven best practices to all cancer patients in Providence Southern California’s five medical centers and network of clinics and physician practices, providing an unprecedented level of oncology integration and expertise within the community.

“Our shared goal is to enhance access to the type of specialized, high-quality cancer care for which City of Hope is known,” said City of Hope President Robert Stone. “We partnered with Providence because of their traditions, values and the quality of care they provide in their communities. Together, we can expand our longstanding commitment of delivering patient-centered care in the right place to the largest number of people. This is the model of the future, and this is what patients deserve.”

“City of Hope is the gold standard for advanced cancer care and will bring to this partnership the latest research and innovative treatments,” said Michael Hunn, senior vice president and regional chief executive of Providence Southern California. “Providence is a mission-driven industry leader in Los Angeles, known for quality and compassionate care in the communities we serve. Our patients will benefit greatly by remaining close to home, receiving this added level of expertise in their own communities.”

The partnership, in which City of Hope will provide expertise and its quality protocols to enhance Providence oncology care, strives to balance accessibility with affordability. By establishing a network of cancer services throughout Providence’s regional health system, more patients will receive high-quality care close to home and ensure their access to leading-edge research and specialized treatments.

This approach to patient-centered care will emphasize evidence- and research-based guidelines, cost-effectiveness, and the overall needs of patients and families. It will expand access to City of Hope’s clinical trials for Providence cancer patients, and lead to the investment in new technology designed to better integrate data and care.

“A recent Institute of Medicine report concluded there are serious challenges facing the U.S. cancer care delivery system due to growing demand for care, increasingly complex treatments, a shrinking workforce, and rising costs. This partnership is the kind of forward-thinking commitment to Southern California patients needed to address these very serious issues,” said U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank). “As the number of cancer cases grows across the country and Southland, it’s encouraging to see these two premier institutions stepping up to respond.”

“Today, all health-care participants are being held to higher standards of accountability. We embrace this challenge,” said Harlan Levine, M.D., chief executive of City of Hope Medical Foundation. “All patients deserve appropriate access to the most-advanced treatment options and expertise available, and their health-care providers should be accountable for providing these in a patient-centered, affordable way. At the end of the day, this is what City of Hope and Providence will achieve together.”

City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a comprehensive cancer center, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope’s main hospital is located in Duarte, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles, with clinics in Antelope Valley and South Pasadena. It is ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer by . Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics. For more information, visit or follow City of Hope on , , or .

Providence Health & Services, Southern California, is a Catholic not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing quality and compassionate health care and reaching out to the poor and the vulnerable in the communities it serves. Providence Southern California operates five award-winning acute-care medical centers in the Los Angeles area, providing a full continuum of health-care services: Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Providence Tarzana Medical Center, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Centers in Torrance and San Pedro. The region also has numerous ancillary facilities including hospice care, long-term care, numerous outpatient clinics, Providence Medical Institute, Providence High School and an affiliation with Facey Medical Group. For more information, visit .