Piedmont brings expertise of MD Anderson Cancer Network to Georgia
As of July 11, Piedmont is the only health system in Georgia to become an affiliate of MD Anderson Cancer Network, a program of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“Our affiliation with MD Anderson Cancer Network ensures our patients receive cancer care based on best practices developed by one of America’s leading cancer care providers,” said Kevin Brown, chief executive officer of Piedmont Healthcare. “While excellent care has always been provided at Piedmont, this collaboration takes our quality assurances to a new level.”
For 10 of the past 12 years, including 2013, MD Anderson has ranked number one in cancer care in the “Best Hospitals” survey published by U.S. News & World Report.
“MD Anderson Cancer Network was created to advance our mission of eliminating cancer by sharing our knowledge and extending our multidisciplinary care,” said Thomas Burke, M.D., executive vice president, MD Anderson Cancer Network. “Piedmont is a respected organization with a long history of providing high quality, patient-centered care. Our new affiliation builds on Piedmont’s strengths by adding MD Anderson’s cancer expertise, and we’re confident it will raise the bar even higher for cancer care in Georgia.”
Piedmont is dedicated to providing excellent cancer care from detection, diagnosis and research to treatment, education, and support, according to a company news release.
“Piedmont works to ease the struggles often associated with the cancer journey by providing patient navigators, financial counselors and free supportive therapies in Atlanta, Fayetteville, Newnan and Stockbridge,” the news release said. “It is Piedmont’s dedication to Georgia residents affected by cancer that led the organization to raise its degree of collaboration in managing patient care with MD Anderson experts and become certified by MD Anderson Cancer Network. Currently, there are only 12 others in the nation.”
MD Anderson’s best practices and protocols will be implemented at Piedmont Atlanta and Piedmont Fayette hospitals. In the future, Piedmont Henry and Piedmont Newnan hospitals are expected to become MD Anderson Cancer Network certified members as well.
“By teaming up, we’re combining the best of what we provide locally with the world-renown expertise of MD Anderson,” said oncologist Perry Ballard, M.D. “This collaboration provides those Piedmont physicians also certified by MD Anderson Cancer Network with access to evidence-based, disease-specific guidelines for cancer treatment, prevention, early detection and follow-up care developed by a national leader in cancer care.”
Piedmont says of its program, “At Piedmont, we treat the patient – not just the disease. Piedmont’s interdisciplinary approach involves a team of cancer specialists including board-certified oncologists, a dedicated oncology nursing unit, surgeons, accredited technicians and nutritionists. These specialists collaborate to create a personal treatment plan based on each patient’s unique situation. Offering the newest diagnostic testing, groundbreaking therapies and surgeries, proven medical and radiation oncology, and effective pain management, Piedmont Cancer also provides specially–trained oncology nurse navigators to help guide patients through their cancer journey. Because cancer treatment involves more than medical care, free services and programs such as yoga, cooking demos, expressive art classes and counseling are also available to anyone affected by cancer at any phase in his or her journey through Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. For more information, visit piedmontcancer.org.”
