Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and OneOncology announced the organizations have finalized agreements to become partners, effective Jan. 1, 2022. This partnership will expand access to resources for cancer patients at every Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center location.
Mary Bird Perkins is an independent, community-owned nonprofit organization serving patients throughout southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi. The Cancer Center is a national leader in clinical research, prevention, and early detection and patient care. OneOncology focuses solely on enhancing community-based cancer care.
“There are so many benefits to partnering with a like-minded organization such as OneOncology. They’ve done the research, and just like us, they understand that patients battling cancer want to be cared for by a team that focuses entirely on high-quality cancer care,” said Tom Adamek, board chairman, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “Throughout the process of defining our relationship with OneOncology, they have been clear, straight-forward and, like Mary Bird Perkins, always placing the patient first. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for both organizations. It’s going to be amazing for patients in Louisiana and the Gulf South.”
These benefits for patients and Mary Bird Perkins will soon be noticeable:
-Through OneR, OneOncology’s research network, new clinical trials will be available to patients, offering new opportunities to participate in a study that may enhance their treatment and how cancer care advances for future generations.
-In some cases, infusion drug costs and medical supplies for patients and insurance companies may drop below the national average as a result of OneOncology’s national buying power.
-Efforts will begin to further expand services and recruit additional oncologists to the Mary Bird Perkins network.
-The relationship with OneOncology will help the Cancer Center to continuously reinvest in advanced treatments, technologies, and support services.
-A new electronic medical records platform and technology support will allow Mary Bird Perkins to focus resources on expanding patient services and pursuing clinical advancements.
OneOncology is conducting research in biomarker and next generation sequencing. Understanding current testing patterns and strategies to increase their uptake is a vital component to bringing precision medicine to patients who are cared for in the community setting.
Joining Mary Bird Perkins in partnership with OneOncology are radiation and medical oncology groups across the state that have worked with the Cancer Center for decades. Those practices are Southeast Louisiana Radiation Oncology Group, which provides radiation therapy throughout Mary Bird Perkins’ service areas, and Northshore Oncology Associates, serving St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, specifically the communities of Covington and Slidell. Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates, which services the Greater Baton Rouge area, will also join the collaborative.
Through the remainder of the calendar year, the Cancer Center and OneOncology will focus on implementing clinical programs and identifying opportunities to optimize the partnership, which officially begins in Jan. 2022.
“This is an exciting new path for Mary Bird Perkins,” said Todd Stevens, president and CEO, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “We’ll take what we’ve built over the last 50 years and expand upon it in ways that we were unable to before. And with the community’s support firmly behind us, we will stop at nothing to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer. We have our sights set on innovation and taking the next great leap forward in cancer care.”