Download More than a slogan - MidState Medical Center

Plus
News from
the Hartford
HealthCare
Cancer Institute
B
News from the
Hartford HealthCare
Cancer Institute
MEMBER
MARCH 2014 | ISSUE 2 In this issue
n MSK Alliance is a
‘two-way street’
n HHC Cancer
Institute sites
and descriptions
n Why disease
management
teams matter
Setting a new standard
+
MARCH 2014
Donna
Handley
8
Vice
President of
Operations,
Hartford
HealthCare
Cancer
Institute
The field of cancer treatment and research can
understandably be tinged with the fear and doubt
that come with a cancer diagnosis. But for those of
us who have dedicated ourselves to bringing new
levels of care to cancer patients, this can also be a
field that offers inspiration and hope like
none other.
The work that we are doing at the Hartford
HealthCare Cancer Institute — and the work that
we will be doing throughout the coming year —
should give anyone reason to feel hopeful about
the prospects for cancer care in Connecticut. The
pioneering innovations we are making in the delivery of world-class cancer care will undoubtedly
make an enormous, life-changing difference
for greater numbers of people throughout our
communities.
In particular, our organization is energized and
invigorated by our status as the charter member
of the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer
Alliance, and the promise that partnership holds
for bringing state-of-the-art cancer therapies
and research to our patients here in Connecticut.
Through our partnership with MSK, the outstanding teams of oncologists, primary care physicians
and clinical support staff who work across the
Hartford HealthCare system will now be able to
elevate the quality of care they deliver to an even
higher level.
That’s what our Institute is all about: setting a
new, single standard of cancer care for the people
in our communities. We are taking the best that
each of our member hospitals and cancer centers
has to offer and, through our work with MSK,
giving our patients the most advanced, most
customized and most promising therapies to be
found anywhere.
We are engaged right now in groundbreaking,
standard-setting work within our Institute. From
cutting edge research in new frontiers like genomics to investments in the latest technologies and
electronic infrastructures, our Institute is opening
new doors and possibilities for everyone who takes
part in our mission of care. And that, in turn, creates hope — for us and our patients.
More than a slogan
New relationship with Memorial Sloan Kettering touted in print, online and on TV
‘T
ogether. Ahead of cancer.”
That’s the theme driving the news that the
Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute is the charter
member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance. I
t’s the tagline for the partnership’s new website,
togetherahead.org; and it’s the message behind every print or
electronic ad that people in our communities are starting to
see on their TVs and in newspapers. In the months to come,
the message will be spread on billboards, through more social
media and in community talks.
For Hartford HealthCare employees and providers, though, it
is not just an advertising slogan. It’s a message of innovation
and hope — a chance to learn and help others understand
how, as part of MSK’s Cancer Alliance, our Cancer Institute
will improve the quality of cancer care and the lives of
cancer patients.
The effort to spread the word about the collaboration began
on the last day of January, when a gathering of HHC cancer care
leaders reviewed the messages at Heublein Hall at Hartford
Hospital in the Education Resource Center. The communications kickoff featured a preview of two TV commercials that
See NEWS, page 3
PLUS
‘MSK Cancer Alliance is a two-way street’
To learn more about the Memorial
Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, MSK
spoke to Richard Barakat, MD, deputy
physician-in-chief for Memorial Sloan
Kettering’s Regional Care Network and
Alliances.
with
Richard Barakat, MD
saying that the educational component of the MSK Cancer Alliance is a
two-way street. Alliance members may,
for example,
be able to participate in our disease
management teams or make on-site
observations. There may also be opportunities to collaborate on joint research
projects to measure outcomes related
to survival rates, quality of life, or the
overall cost of care.
On our end, the Alliance is helping
us learn firsthand how to deliver care
and offer clinical trails in the community
setting. It will also help us to broaden
the impact of our program of clinical
trials by opening them up to a much
larger patient population.
I should also add that none of this
requires the building of any new facilities, and that makes this approach a
cost-effective model for community
providers seeking to optimize their
cancer care.
Q. Why did Memorial Sloan
Kettering choose Hartford HealthCare
as its first alliance member?
A. We selected Hartford HealthCare
as our charter member first and foremost because HHC shares our commitment to excellence in patient care,
and has an established reputation in
the community it serves. HHC’s cancer
program is one of the highest-quality
programs in the region and is responsible for the care of approximately
18 percent of all cancer patients in
Connecticut. The fact that Hartford
Q. What is happening with the
Hartford alliance right now?
A. Right now, we are helping the HHC
Cancer Institute enhance its programs
of cancer care and clinical research,
including through access to Memorial
Sloan Kettering clinical trials on site.
As the collaboration moves forward, certain HHC cancer doctors will
participate in observerships and be
integrated into our disease management teams. We will also jointly recruit
a chief medical officer for the Hartford
HealthCare Cancer Institute who will
be on staff at both HHC and Memorial
Sloan Kettering. It’s important to note
that HHC patients will remain patients
of the HHC Cancer Institute and will
continue to receive their care locally.
The HHC advertising campaign is
really a measure of HHC’s enthusiasm
for our collaboration and the significant improvements it will bring to
regional cancer care when the program
launches later this spring.
Q. What is the plan for the MSK
Cancer Alliance going forward?
A. Our immediate focus is on ensuring that the alliance with Hartford begins successfully. Ultimately, our goal
for the future is to create a network of
providers that extends beyond the New
York metropolitan area so that we can
reach patients in more communities.
Richard Barakat, MD, is the deputy physician-in-chief for Memorial Sloan Kettering’s
Regional Care Network and Alliances. This
interview appeared on the Memorial Sloan
Kettering blog and is used with MSK’s
permission. You can read this on MSK’s
website at www.mskcc.org/blog/new-adcampaign-features-msk-alliance
How to reach us
On the cover
n By phone: Call the Cancer Connect line at 855-255-6181.
n Online: Visit www.togetherahead.org
n On Facebook: Like the Hartford HealthCare Facebook
page at www.facebook.com/HartfordHealthCare.
n Leading the communications kickoff for the Hartford
HealthCare Cancer Institute are, from left, Andrew Salner,
MD, director of the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center; Donna Handley, vice president of operations for the HHC Cancer
Institute; and Jeffrey Flaks, HHC’s chief operating officer.
OF ALL THE HEALTH SYSTEMS
IN THE WORLD TO PARTNER WITH,
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING
CHOSE US.
WHO WILL YOU CHOOSE?
Hartford HealthCare is proud to be the charter member of the Memorial
Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance. One of the world’s most renowned cancer
centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering, is now working together with Hartford
HealthCare, the most comprehensive health system in Connecticut.
This remarkable, one-of-a-kind alliance will enable a single standard of care,
as well as unprecedented access to clinical trials, innovative treatments and
breakthrough research that will keep our specialists, researchers and patients
ahead of cancer. To learn more, visit TogetherAhead.org, or call our Cancer
Connect line at 855.255.6181.
MEMBER
T O G E T H E R .
A H E A D
O F
C A N C E R .
+
+
Q. What are some other distinctive
features of the MSK Cancer Alliance?
A. One feature I’d like to emphasize
is the tremendous opportunity for
what we call bidirectional learning
— which is really just another way of
Q&A
Hospital is one of only 30 hospitals
nationwide designated as an NCI
Community Cancer Center was also a
compelling factor.
MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
Q. What is the Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Alliance and why
did MSK decide to create it?
A. The concept of the MSK Cancer
Alliance was borne out of our strong
desire to advance the quality of cancer
care for people who receive treatment
in their local communities. It can take
years for the cutting-edge work we do
at Memorial Sloan Kettering to reach
the community setting. Our hope is to
speed up this process so that regional
providers are delivering the best care
and achieving the best outcomes possible for their patients — and doing it
sooner rather than later. Also, because
we know that the vast majority of
cancer care in the United States is delivered in a community setting, we are
interested in becoming more closely
involved with how cancer care is
practiced outside of a specialty center
like ours.
What membership in the Alliance
actually entails will vary according to
the specific needs of our members.
Generally speaking, an alliance with
Memorial Sloan Kettering empowers
members to adopt the latest standards
in cancer care. It could also involve
clinical trials, which allow patients to
receive the newest, most cutting-edge
therapies available. In fact, the HHC
Cancer Institute will include our first
clinical trials site established through
the MSK Cancer Alliance.
2
PLUS News from Memorial Sloan Kettering
7
PLUS
A preview of the Cancer
Institute television ads was
a highlight of the kickoff
event. The ads first aired to
Connecticut viewers during
the Super Bowl.
MSK administrators and gynecological DMT leaders traveled to HHC to discuss the MSK standards for GYN oncology in an ongoing effort to bring a single standard of care to Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute patients. Shown here, from left: Karen Cudworth (HHC), Dr.
Aaron Shafer (HHC), Dr. Amy Brown (HHC), Rachel Klipper (MSK), Dr. Noah Kauff (MSK), Victor Ribaudo (MSK), Karen Weingrod (HHC), Abbi
Bruce (HHC), Dr. Nadeem Abu-Rustum (MSK), Donna Handley (HHC), Dr. Richard Barakat (MSK), Sara Carroll (HHC), Susanne Brown (HHC),
Kristoffer Popovitch (HHC), Kiran Avancha (HHC), Stacey Barber (HHC), Dr. Stacey Nerenstone (HHC), Wendy Perchick (MSK), Dr. Heather
Einstein (HHC); Pat Montanaro (HHC), Dr. Joel Sorosky (HHC), and Christian Acuna (HHC).
Disease management teams offer
a foundation for the delivery of care
+
From left: Catherine Stevens, RN, VP, patient care services for
the Central Region; James O’Dea, PhD, regional cancer director, East Region; Kristoffer Popvitch, regional cancer director,
Central Region; and Donna Handley, vice president, operations, HHC Cancer Institute.
NEWS
from page 1
first aired, on a limited regional basis,
during the Feb. 2 Super Bowl. Print and
TV advertising continues.
At the kickoff, Donna Handley, vice
president of operations for the HHC
Cancer Institute, thanked everyone at
HHC and MSK who worked to make the
partnership a reality. She said the work
that is being done between the organizations will serve to benefit untold numbers of patients throughout the region
by providing them with the very latest in
cancer care — including breakthroughs
in research and treatment, and access to
clinical trials.
“We will lead the way in bringing
Memorial Sloan Kettering standards of
care and clinical trials into community
settings,” Handley said.
Jeffrey A. Flaks, HHC executive vice
president and chief operating officer,
Click here to find out more
n Learn more about this unprecedented initiative and the HHC Cancer
Institute on the Internet and social media. Visit www.togetherahead.org.
Use the Twitter hashtag #TogetherAhead or “like” our posts on Facebook.
told the enthusiastic crowd that cancer
services provided by HHC and its five
acute care hospitals are being unified
into a single center of excellence where
patients can expect the highest level of
care across the system.
“We will have one cancer center — one
great cancer center — that operates on
five campuses,” he said, explaining the
value of a having a single standard of care.
HHC cancer leaders explained that
MSK selected the HHC Cancer Institute
as the charter member of the new
Alliance because of HHC’s reputation
for clinical excellence and its range of
services for cancer patients.
“The HHC advertising campaign is
really a measure of HHC’s enthusiasm
for our collaboration and the significant
improvements it will bring to regional
cancer care when the program launches
later this spring,” said Richard Barakat,
MD, deputy physician-in-chief for MSK’s
Regional Care Network and Alliances.
+
6
Members of the DMTs include providers and caregivers at
every level who work to give patients the best treatment possible. That includes oncologists and other cancer specialists,
nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, social workers and
researchers. There is also an opportunity for primary care physicians to participate in the DMTs and provide valuable input
and decision making, at diagnosis, during treatment and as the
patient returns to primary care at the end of treatment.
The scope of work for the HHC Cancer Institute disease management teams includes:
n Serving as the core clinical and programmatic leadership
team charged with extending the Institute model to specific disease sites, facilitating collaboration among clinical specialties
n Developing and implementing clinical pathways, guidelines and evidence-based best practices
n Monitoring quality and outcomes
n Embedding clinical research as an integral component of
care for each cancer site
n Coordinating care including patient navigation, survivorship, triage and referrals for support services
n Supporting community outreach and screening to promote
early detection to achieve better outcomes while reducing
disparities
The DMT model is also the foundation for the Institute’s
partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering. As the two organizations prepare to operationalize the partnership over the next
several months, DMTs comprised of cancer experts from both
organizations are being formed.
The joint DMTs will be focused on specialties across the
spectrum of cancer care, and will enable both organizations
to take advantage of the particular strengths they each have
to offer.
Hartford
HealthCare’s
selection as
the charter
member of the
MSK Cancer
Alliance made
big headlines,
including in
the Hartford
Courant and
The Wall
Street Journal.
MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
C
utting edge research. Highly trained physicians. State-ofthe-art technology.
These are all critically important components in a
world-class cancer care program. But they won’t do much for
patients without an efficient and coordinated method for
making sure patients have access to them when they need
them most.
At the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute, patients are
assured of receiving the highest quality care through disease
management teams (DMTs) — multidisciplinary teams of
cancer specialists, providers and caregivers who work together
to ensure a single, consistent standard of care. This patientcentered, coordinated approach to cancer care is based on best
practices in the field and is widely used at leading cancer treatment and research centers nationwide, including Memorial
Sloan Kettering.
“Disease management teams are at the core of everything we
do,” said Donna Handley, vice president of operations for the
HHC Cancer Institute.
“They allow us to achieve excellence across the spectrum by
incorporating evidence-based treatment guidelines, practices
and procedures with access to cutting-edge clinical research
and targeted therapies.”
Across the HHC system, DMTs have been established for five
types of cancer diagnosis: breast, lung, genitourinary, GI and
GYN/oncology. In addition, at Hartford Hospital, hospital-specific DMTs for nine cancer disease sites have been operating for
four years: breast, thoracic, GU, GI and hepato oncology, GYN/
oncology, head and neck, neuro-oncology, hematology and
melanoma/skin/soft tissue.
The DMT model is designed to create cost-effective pathways
that eliminate duplication and unnecessary tests and treatment.
PLUS Barbara Gaughan, RN, nurse navigator at Hartford Hospital, gets into the spirit of the communications kickoff for the HHC Cancer Institute,
held Jan. 31. Small footballs, like the ones below,
were part of the pre-Super Bowl theme.
3
PLUS
Who we are
B
The Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute is focused on providing a single highquality, comprehensive cancer diagnostic, treatment and support program across
all HHC community cancer center locations.
Hundreds of cancer physicians and staff members meet regularly to adopt, adapt
and implement a single set of standards that are used across the entire system to
treat cancer patients. Currently, five system Disease Management Teams (for lung,
gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecology and breast) meet monthly to discuss
these standards.
A system-wide cancer research program helps ensure that clinical trials are available to patients at each of our sites.
An entire matrix of meetings on topics such as outreach, navigation, patient-support programs and survivorship
ensure that we use evidence-based practice guidelines in all these areas of patient treatment and patient and
family support.
Each of our community cancer centers and the patients they serve benefit from implementing the highest-quality
standards of care and our system-wide collaboration.
The HHC Cancer Institute’s five cancer centers include:
MidState Medical Center
Cancer Center at MidState Medical Center
435 Lewis Ave., Meriden
203-694-8353
Medical Director: Gary F. Tansino, MD
Regional Director (Central Region): Kristoffer
Popovitch, RT-R, MBA
Web: midstatemedical.org/cancer
+
Medical Director: Peter D. Byeff, MD
Regional Director (Central Region): Kristoffer Popovitch,
RT-R, MBA
Web: thocc.org/services/cancer
Since 1992, the George Bray Cancer Center at The Hospital
of Central
Connecticut has
been providing
a wide range of
cancer services
to the people
of New Britain
and surrounding communities. The center features a dedicated
staff of multidisciplinary specialists who provide comprehensive cancer care within the George Bray Cancer Center and the
American Savings Foundation Radiation Oncology Treatment
Center, located on the HOCC New Britain General campus.
Highlights:
n New full-service, comprehensive HOCC Cancer Center now
under construction; to be open in 2015
n Accredited as a Teaching Hospital Cancer Center by the
American College of Surgeons Committee on Cancer
n Ongoing clinical research trials
n Multisite nurse navigators
n Dedicated breast surgeon
n Accreditation through National Accreditation Program for
Breast Centers
n National Quality Measures for Breast Centers certification
n Inpatient unit with dedicated oncology-certified nurses
n State-of-the-art, ACR-accredited radiation therapy program,
including Novalis radiosurgery
n HDR radiation therapy
n Dedicated surgical oncologists
n Comprehensive survivorship and support-services program
Backus Hospital’s Cancer Center celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2013. The Cancer
Services Department,
MEMBER
with
a staff of multidisciplinary medical/
surgical professionals,
including oncologycertified nurses, offers
a wide range of comprehensive programs and services.
Highlights:
n Designated a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program
by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS)
n Designated as a Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program by
the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers – the only
hospital in its region with this honor.
n Commendation status for its clinical research program and
clinical trials by the ACS Commission on Cancer
n Cancer Survivorship Program
n Breast Health Patient Navigator Program
n Radiation therapy
n Inpatient oncology
n Outpatient ambulatory medical care
n Onsite cancer boutique
Hartford Hospital
Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center
80 Seymour St., Hartford
860-545-3790
Medical Director: Jeff Baker, MD
Regional Director (East Region): James F. O’Dea,
PhD, MBA
Web: windhamhospital.org
Windham Hospital’s Medical Oncology/
Hematology Services Program is offered in collaboration
with Oncology
Associates, PC,
of the Helen
& Harry Gray
Cancer Center
at Hartford
Hospital.
Highlights:
n Comprehensive patient navigation system
n Breast screenings and diagnosis
n Participant in the Connecticut Colorectal Cancer
Control Program, which offers free colorectal screenings for people over 50 who qualify
n Breast and cervical screening through the
Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early
Detection Program
n Oncology dietician
n Support groups
n Integrative therapies
Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center – Avon
80 Fisher Drive, Avon
860-696-1000
Medical Director: Andrew L. Salner, MD
Regional Director (Hartford Region): Abbi Bruce, RN, MS, AOCN
Web: harthosp.org/cancer
The Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center at Hartford Hospital is one of the largest cancer-treatment centers in the Northeast,
with 3,100 newly diagnosed patients and more than 50,000 patient visits each year. The center features a full line of comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services, with centers of excellence in a wide range of cancer types, including breast,
GI, urologic, gynecologic, head and neck, hematologic, skin and melanoma, neuro/oncology and thoracic/lung. Highlights:
n One of 21 hospitals nationwide to be named a Community Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute
n Collaborator and $3-million research grant recipient in the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center Total Cancer Care Research project
n Ongoing clinical research trials conducted by oncology specialists and physicians
n Largest breast cancer specialist group in Connecticut, accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers
n Comprehensive Cancer Connect patient navigation system
n Radiation and surgical oncology
n Rehabilitation services
n Comprehensive survivorship program
n Comprehensive outreach program to help reduce cancer disparities
n Onsite cancer boutique in Hartford
To learn more
n To learn more about cancer care near you, call HHC’s Cancer Connect line any time: 855-255-6181.
+
4
Highlights:
n Accredited by the American College
of Surgeons as a National Breast Center of
Excellence
n State-of-the-art radiation therapy program
n HDR radiation therapy
n Risk-assessment program
n Team approach to multidisciplinary care, including multidisciplinary cancer conferences
n Dedicated oncology-certified nurses
n Outpatient infusion
n Screening programs
n Integrative therapies
n Onsite cancer boutique
n Comprehensive survivorship program
n Full range of diagnostic testing services
George Bray Cancer Center
100 Grand St., New Britain
860-224-5299
Medical Director: Dinesh Kapur, MD
Regional Director (East Region): James F. O’Dea, PhD, MBA
Web: backushospital.org/cancer
112 Mansfield Ave., Willimantic
860-456-6896
MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
The Cancer Center at MidState Medical
Center offers a complete range of diagnostic,
treatment, education and support services in an
easyaccess,
state-ofthe-art
facility. The
center
also serves as a vital resource in prevention,
early detection, outreach and support. Services
include comprehensive programs in breast care,
lung, prostate, surgery, medical and radiation
oncology, and outpatient services.
The Hospital of Central Connecticut —
New Britain General Campus
326 Washington St., Norwich
860-889-8331 ext. 2248
Windham Hospital
PLUS The HHC Cancer Institute
The William W. Backus Hospital
5
PLUS
Who we are
B
The Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute is focused on providing a single highquality, comprehensive cancer diagnostic, treatment and support program across
all HHC community cancer center locations.
Hundreds of cancer physicians and staff members meet regularly to adopt, adapt
and implement a single set of standards that are used across the entire system to
treat cancer patients. Currently, five system Disease Management Teams (for lung,
gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecology and breast) meet monthly to discuss
these standards.
A system-wide cancer research program helps ensure that clinical trials are available to patients at each of our sites.
An entire matrix of meetings on topics such as outreach, navigation, patient-support programs and survivorship
ensure that we use evidence-based practice guidelines in all these areas of patient treatment and patient and
family support.
Each of our community cancer centers and the patients they serve benefit from implementing the highest-quality
standards of care and our system-wide collaboration.
The HHC Cancer Institute’s five cancer centers include:
MidState Medical Center
Cancer Center at MidState Medical Center
435 Lewis Ave., Meriden
203-694-8353
Medical Director: Gary F. Tansino, MD
Regional Director (Central Region): Kristoffer
Popovitch, RT-R, MBA
Web: midstatemedical.org/cancer
+
Medical Director: Peter D. Byeff, MD
Regional Director (Central Region): Kristoffer Popovitch,
RT-R, MBA
Web: thocc.org/services/cancer
Since 1992, the George Bray Cancer Center at The Hospital
of Central
Connecticut has
been providing
a wide range of
cancer services
to the people
of New Britain
and surrounding communities. The center features a dedicated
staff of multidisciplinary specialists who provide comprehensive cancer care within the George Bray Cancer Center and the
American Savings Foundation Radiation Oncology Treatment
Center, located on the HOCC New Britain General campus.
Highlights:
n New full-service, comprehensive HOCC Cancer Center now
under construction; to be open in 2015
n Accredited as a Teaching Hospital Cancer Center by the
American College of Surgeons Committee on Cancer
n Ongoing clinical research trials
n Multisite nurse navigators
n Dedicated breast surgeon
n Accreditation through National Accreditation Program for
Breast Centers
n National Quality Measures for Breast Centers certification
n Inpatient unit with dedicated oncology-certified nurses
n State-of-the-art, ACR-accredited radiation therapy program,
including Novalis radiosurgery
n HDR radiation therapy
n Dedicated surgical oncologists
n Comprehensive survivorship and support-services program
Backus Hospital’s Cancer Center celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2013. The Cancer
Services Department,
MEMBER
with
a staff of multidisciplinary medical/
surgical professionals,
including oncologycertified nurses, offers
a wide range of comprehensive programs and services.
Highlights:
n Designated a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program
by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS)
n Designated as a Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program by
the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers – the only
hospital in its region with this honor.
n Commendation status for its clinical research program and
clinical trials by the ACS Commission on Cancer
n Cancer Survivorship Program
n Breast Health Patient Navigator Program
n Radiation therapy
n Inpatient oncology
n Outpatient ambulatory medical care
n Onsite cancer boutique
Hartford Hospital
Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center
80 Seymour St., Hartford
860-545-3790
Medical Director: Jeff Baker, MD
Regional Director (East Region): James F. O’Dea,
PhD, MBA
Web: windhamhospital.org
Windham Hospital’s Medical Oncology/
Hematology Services Program is offered in collaboration
with Oncology
Associates, PC,
of the Helen
& Harry Gray
Cancer Center
at Hartford
Hospital.
Highlights:
n Comprehensive patient navigation system
n Breast screenings and diagnosis
n Participant in the Connecticut Colorectal Cancer
Control Program, which offers free colorectal screenings for people over 50 who qualify
n Breast and cervical screening through the
Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early
Detection Program
n Oncology dietician
n Support groups
n Integrative therapies
Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center – Avon
80 Fisher Drive, Avon
860-696-1000
Medical Director: Andrew L. Salner, MD
Regional Director (Hartford Region): Abbi Bruce, RN, MS, AOCN
Web: harthosp.org/cancer
The Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center at Hartford Hospital is one of the largest cancer-treatment centers in the Northeast,
with 3,100 newly diagnosed patients and more than 50,000 patient visits each year. The center features a full line of comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services, with centers of excellence in a wide range of cancer types, including breast,
GI, urologic, gynecologic, head and neck, hematologic, skin and melanoma, neuro/oncology and thoracic/lung. Highlights:
n One of 21 hospitals nationwide to be named a Community Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute
n Collaborator and $3-million research grant recipient in the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center Total Cancer Care Research project
n Ongoing clinical research trials conducted by oncology specialists and physicians
n Largest breast cancer specialist group in Connecticut, accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers
n Comprehensive Cancer Connect patient navigation system
n Radiation and surgical oncology
n Rehabilitation services
n Comprehensive survivorship program
n Comprehensive outreach program to help reduce cancer disparities
n Onsite cancer boutique in Hartford
To learn more
n To learn more about cancer care near you, call HHC’s Cancer Connect line any time: 855-255-6181.
+
4
Highlights:
n Accredited by the American College
of Surgeons as a National Breast Center of
Excellence
n State-of-the-art radiation therapy program
n HDR radiation therapy
n Risk-assessment program
n Team approach to multidisciplinary care, including multidisciplinary cancer conferences
n Dedicated oncology-certified nurses
n Outpatient infusion
n Screening programs
n Integrative therapies
n Onsite cancer boutique
n Comprehensive survivorship program
n Full range of diagnostic testing services
George Bray Cancer Center
100 Grand St., New Britain
860-224-5299
Medical Director: Dinesh Kapur, MD
Regional Director (East Region): James F. O’Dea, PhD, MBA
Web: backushospital.org/cancer
112 Mansfield Ave., Willimantic
860-456-6896
MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
The Cancer Center at MidState Medical
Center offers a complete range of diagnostic,
treatment, education and support services in an
easyaccess,
state-ofthe-art
facility. The
center
also serves as a vital resource in prevention,
early detection, outreach and support. Services
include comprehensive programs in breast care,
lung, prostate, surgery, medical and radiation
oncology, and outpatient services.
The Hospital of Central Connecticut —
New Britain General Campus
326 Washington St., Norwich
860-889-8331 ext. 2248
Windham Hospital
PLUS The HHC Cancer Institute
The William W. Backus Hospital
5
PLUS
A preview of the Cancer
Institute television ads was
a highlight of the kickoff
event. The ads first aired to
Connecticut viewers during
the Super Bowl.
MSK administrators and gynecological DMT leaders traveled to HHC to discuss the MSK standards for GYN oncology in an ongoing effort to bring a single standard of care to Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute patients. Shown here, from left: Karen Cudworth (HHC), Dr.
Aaron Shafer (HHC), Dr. Amy Brown (HHC), Rachel Klipper (MSK), Dr. Noah Kauff (MSK), Victor Ribaudo (MSK), Karen Weingrod (HHC), Abbi
Bruce (HHC), Dr. Nadeem Abu-Rustum (MSK), Donna Handley (HHC), Dr. Richard Barakat (MSK), Sara Carroll (HHC), Susanne Brown (HHC),
Kristoffer Popovitch (HHC), Kiran Avancha (HHC), Stacey Barber (HHC), Dr. Stacey Nerenstone (HHC), Wendy Perchick (MSK), Dr. Heather
Einstein (HHC); Pat Montanaro (HHC), Dr. Joel Sorosky (HHC), and Christian Acuna (HHC).
Disease management teams offer
a foundation for the delivery of care
+
From left: Catherine Stevens, RN, VP, patient care services for
the Central Region; James O’Dea, PhD, regional cancer director, East Region; Kristoffer Popvitch, regional cancer director,
Central Region; and Donna Handley, vice president, operations, HHC Cancer Institute.
NEWS
from page 1
first aired, on a limited regional basis,
during the Feb. 2 Super Bowl. Print and
TV advertising continues.
At the kickoff, Donna Handley, vice
president of operations for the HHC
Cancer Institute, thanked everyone at
HHC and MSK who worked to make the
partnership a reality. She said the work
that is being done between the organizations will serve to benefit untold numbers of patients throughout the region
by providing them with the very latest in
cancer care — including breakthroughs
in research and treatment, and access to
clinical trials.
“We will lead the way in bringing
Memorial Sloan Kettering standards of
care and clinical trials into community
settings,” Handley said.
Jeffrey A. Flaks, HHC executive vice
president and chief operating officer,
Click here to find out more
n Learn more about this unprecedented initiative and the HHC Cancer
Institute on the Internet and social media. Visit www.togetherahead.org.
Use the Twitter hashtag #TogetherAhead or “like” our posts on Facebook.
told the enthusiastic crowd that cancer
services provided by HHC and its five
acute care hospitals are being unified
into a single center of excellence where
patients can expect the highest level of
care across the system.
“We will have one cancer center — one
great cancer center — that operates on
five campuses,” he said, explaining the
value of a having a single standard of care.
HHC cancer leaders explained that
MSK selected the HHC Cancer Institute
as the charter member of the new
Alliance because of HHC’s reputation
for clinical excellence and its range of
services for cancer patients.
“The HHC advertising campaign is
really a measure of HHC’s enthusiasm
for our collaboration and the significant
improvements it will bring to regional
cancer care when the program launches
later this spring,” said Richard Barakat,
MD, deputy physician-in-chief for MSK’s
Regional Care Network and Alliances.
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6
Members of the DMTs include providers and caregivers at
every level who work to give patients the best treatment possible. That includes oncologists and other cancer specialists,
nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, social workers and
researchers. There is also an opportunity for primary care physicians to participate in the DMTs and provide valuable input
and decision making, at diagnosis, during treatment and as the
patient returns to primary care at the end of treatment.
The scope of work for the HHC Cancer Institute disease management teams includes:
n Serving as the core clinical and programmatic leadership
team charged with extending the Institute model to specific disease sites, facilitating collaboration among clinical specialties
n Developing and implementing clinical pathways, guidelines and evidence-based best practices
n Monitoring quality and outcomes
n Embedding clinical research as an integral component of
care for each cancer site
n Coordinating care including patient navigation, survivorship, triage and referrals for support services
n Supporting community outreach and screening to promote
early detection to achieve better outcomes while reducing
disparities
The DMT model is also the foundation for the Institute’s
partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering. As the two organizations prepare to operationalize the partnership over the next
several months, DMTs comprised of cancer experts from both
organizations are being formed.
The joint DMTs will be focused on specialties across the
spectrum of cancer care, and will enable both organizations
to take advantage of the particular strengths they each have
to offer.
Hartford
HealthCare’s
selection as
the charter
member of the
MSK Cancer
Alliance made
big headlines,
including in
the Hartford
Courant and
The Wall
Street Journal.
MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
C
utting edge research. Highly trained physicians. State-ofthe-art technology.
These are all critically important components in a
world-class cancer care program. But they won’t do much for
patients without an efficient and coordinated method for
making sure patients have access to them when they need
them most.
At the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute, patients are
assured of receiving the highest quality care through disease
management teams (DMTs) — multidisciplinary teams of
cancer specialists, providers and caregivers who work together
to ensure a single, consistent standard of care. This patientcentered, coordinated approach to cancer care is based on best
practices in the field and is widely used at leading cancer treatment and research centers nationwide, including Memorial
Sloan Kettering.
“Disease management teams are at the core of everything we
do,” said Donna Handley, vice president of operations for the
HHC Cancer Institute.
“They allow us to achieve excellence across the spectrum by
incorporating evidence-based treatment guidelines, practices
and procedures with access to cutting-edge clinical research
and targeted therapies.”
Across the HHC system, DMTs have been established for five
types of cancer diagnosis: breast, lung, genitourinary, GI and
GYN/oncology. In addition, at Hartford Hospital, hospital-specific DMTs for nine cancer disease sites have been operating for
four years: breast, thoracic, GU, GI and hepato oncology, GYN/
oncology, head and neck, neuro-oncology, hematology and
melanoma/skin/soft tissue.
The DMT model is designed to create cost-effective pathways
that eliminate duplication and unnecessary tests and treatment.
PLUS Barbara Gaughan, RN, nurse navigator at Hartford Hospital, gets into the spirit of the communications kickoff for the HHC Cancer Institute,
held Jan. 31. Small footballs, like the ones below,
were part of the pre-Super Bowl theme.
3
PLUS
‘MSK Cancer Alliance is a two-way street’
To learn more about the Memorial
Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, MSK
spoke to Richard Barakat, MD, deputy
physician-in-chief for Memorial Sloan
Kettering’s Regional Care Network and
Alliances.
with
Richard Barakat, MD
saying that the educational component of the MSK Cancer Alliance is a
two-way street. Alliance members may,
for example,
be able to participate in our disease
management teams or make on-site
observations. There may also be opportunities to collaborate on joint research
projects to measure outcomes related
to survival rates, quality of life, or the
overall cost of care.
On our end, the Alliance is helping
us learn firsthand how to deliver care
and offer clinical trails in the community
setting. It will also help us to broaden
the impact of our program of clinical
trials by opening them up to a much
larger patient population.
I should also add that none of this
requires the building of any new facilities, and that makes this approach a
cost-effective model for community
providers seeking to optimize their
cancer care.
Q. Why did Memorial Sloan
Kettering choose Hartford HealthCare
as its first alliance member?
A. We selected Hartford HealthCare
as our charter member first and foremost because HHC shares our commitment to excellence in patient care,
and has an established reputation in
the community it serves. HHC’s cancer
program is one of the highest-quality
programs in the region and is responsible for the care of approximately
18 percent of all cancer patients in
Connecticut. The fact that Hartford
Q. What is happening with the
Hartford alliance right now?
A. Right now, we are helping the HHC
Cancer Institute enhance its programs
of cancer care and clinical research,
including through access to Memorial
Sloan Kettering clinical trials on site.
As the collaboration moves forward, certain HHC cancer doctors will
participate in observerships and be
integrated into our disease management teams. We will also jointly recruit
a chief medical officer for the Hartford
HealthCare Cancer Institute who will
be on staff at both HHC and Memorial
Sloan Kettering. It’s important to note
that HHC patients will remain patients
of the HHC Cancer Institute and will
continue to receive their care locally.
The HHC advertising campaign is
really a measure of HHC’s enthusiasm
for our collaboration and the significant improvements it will bring to
regional cancer care when the program
launches later this spring.
Q. What is the plan for the MSK
Cancer Alliance going forward?
A. Our immediate focus is on ensuring that the alliance with Hartford begins successfully. Ultimately, our goal
for the future is to create a network of
providers that extends beyond the New
York metropolitan area so that we can
reach patients in more communities.
Richard Barakat, MD, is the deputy physician-in-chief for Memorial Sloan Kettering’s
Regional Care Network and Alliances. This
interview appeared on the Memorial Sloan
Kettering blog and is used with MSK’s
permission. You can read this on MSK’s
website at www.mskcc.org/blog/new-adcampaign-features-msk-alliance
How to reach us
On the cover
n By phone: Call the Cancer Connect line at 855-255-6181.
n Online: Visit www.togetherahead.org
n On Facebook: Like the Hartford HealthCare Facebook
page at www.facebook.com/HartfordHealthCare.
n Leading the communications kickoff for the Hartford
HealthCare Cancer Institute are, from left, Andrew Salner,
MD, director of the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center; Donna Handley, vice president of operations for the HHC Cancer
Institute; and Jeffrey Flaks, HHC’s chief operating officer.
OF ALL THE HEALTH SYSTEMS
IN THE WORLD TO PARTNER WITH,
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING
CHOSE US.
WHO WILL YOU CHOOSE?
Hartford HealthCare is proud to be the charter member of the Memorial
Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance. One of the world’s most renowned cancer
centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering, is now working together with Hartford
HealthCare, the most comprehensive health system in Connecticut.
This remarkable, one-of-a-kind alliance will enable a single standard of care,
as well as unprecedented access to clinical trials, innovative treatments and
breakthrough research that will keep our specialists, researchers and patients
ahead of cancer. To learn more, visit TogetherAhead.org, or call our Cancer
Connect line at 855.255.6181.
MEMBER
T O G E T H E R .
A H E A D
O F
C A N C E R .
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+
Q. What are some other distinctive
features of the MSK Cancer Alliance?
A. One feature I’d like to emphasize
is the tremendous opportunity for
what we call bidirectional learning
— which is really just another way of
Q&A
Hospital is one of only 30 hospitals
nationwide designated as an NCI
Community Cancer Center was also a
compelling factor.
MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
Q. What is the Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Alliance and why
did MSK decide to create it?
A. The concept of the MSK Cancer
Alliance was borne out of our strong
desire to advance the quality of cancer
care for people who receive treatment
in their local communities. It can take
years for the cutting-edge work we do
at Memorial Sloan Kettering to reach
the community setting. Our hope is to
speed up this process so that regional
providers are delivering the best care
and achieving the best outcomes possible for their patients — and doing it
sooner rather than later. Also, because
we know that the vast majority of
cancer care in the United States is delivered in a community setting, we are
interested in becoming more closely
involved with how cancer care is
practiced outside of a specialty center
like ours.
What membership in the Alliance
actually entails will vary according to
the specific needs of our members.
Generally speaking, an alliance with
Memorial Sloan Kettering empowers
members to adopt the latest standards
in cancer care. It could also involve
clinical trials, which allow patients to
receive the newest, most cutting-edge
therapies available. In fact, the HHC
Cancer Institute will include our first
clinical trials site established through
the MSK Cancer Alliance.
2
PLUS News from Memorial Sloan Kettering
7
Plus
News from
the Hartford
HealthCare
Cancer Institute
B
News from the
Hartford HealthCare
Cancer Institute
MEMBER
MARCH 2014 | ISSUE 2 In this issue
n MSK Alliance is a
‘two-way street’
n HHC Cancer
Institute sites
and descriptions
n Why disease
management
teams matter
Setting a new standard
+
MARCH 2014
Donna
Handley
8
Vice
President of
Operations,
Hartford
HealthCare
Cancer
Institute
The field of cancer treatment and research can
understandably be tinged with the fear and doubt
that come with a cancer diagnosis. But for those of
us who have dedicated ourselves to bringing new
levels of care to cancer patients, this can also be a
field that offers inspiration and hope like
none other.
The work that we are doing at the Hartford
HealthCare Cancer Institute — and the work that
we will be doing throughout the coming year —
should give anyone reason to feel hopeful about
the prospects for cancer care in Connecticut. The
pioneering innovations we are making in the delivery of world-class cancer care will undoubtedly
make an enormous, life-changing difference
for greater numbers of people throughout our
communities.
In particular, our organization is energized and
invigorated by our status as the charter member
of the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer
Alliance, and the promise that partnership holds
for bringing state-of-the-art cancer therapies
and research to our patients here in Connecticut.
Through our partnership with MSK, the outstanding teams of oncologists, primary care physicians
and clinical support staff who work across the
Hartford HealthCare system will now be able to
elevate the quality of care they deliver to an even
higher level.
That’s what our Institute is all about: setting a
new, single standard of cancer care for the people
in our communities. We are taking the best that
each of our member hospitals and cancer centers
has to offer and, through our work with MSK,
giving our patients the most advanced, most
customized and most promising therapies to be
found anywhere.
We are engaged right now in groundbreaking,
standard-setting work within our Institute. From
cutting edge research in new frontiers like genomics to investments in the latest technologies and
electronic infrastructures, our Institute is opening
new doors and possibilities for everyone who takes
part in our mission of care. And that, in turn, creates hope — for us and our patients.
More than a slogan
New relationship with Memorial Sloan Kettering touted in print, online and on TV
‘T
ogether. Ahead of cancer.”
That’s the theme driving the news that the
Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute is the charter
member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance. I
t’s the tagline for the partnership’s new website,
togetherahead.org; and it’s the message behind every print or
electronic ad that people in our communities are starting to
see on their TVs and in newspapers. In the months to come,
the message will be spread on billboards, through more social
media and in community talks.
For Hartford HealthCare employees and providers, though, it
is not just an advertising slogan. It’s a message of innovation
and hope — a chance to learn and help others understand
how, as part of MSK’s Cancer Alliance, our Cancer Institute
will improve the quality of cancer care and the lives of
cancer patients.
The effort to spread the word about the collaboration began
on the last day of January, when a gathering of HHC cancer care
leaders reviewed the messages at Heublein Hall at Hartford
Hospital in the Education Resource Center. The communications kickoff featured a preview of two TV commercials that
See NEWS, page 3