HJBR Sep/Oct 2025

42 SEP / OCT 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE ONCOLOGY DIALOGUE COLUMN ONCOLOGY IN SOUTH LOUISIANA, a collaboration be- tween Ochsner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center has created Ochsner MD An- derson Cancer Center and is a comprehen- sive model for delivering world-renowned cancer care locally. The partnership inte- grates local cancer programs with the pro- tocols, standards and treatment used at MD Anderson in Houston. This means physicians and specialists in Louisiana follow nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines that help improve survival rates, reduce compli- cations, and enhance quality of life. This partnership reflects a larger move- ment in oncology toward the multidisci- plinary approach to medicine, which cer- tainly isn’t new. Its incorporation into cancer model cannot be overstated. As healthcare professionals, we see firsthand how a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming for patients. We also know physical treatment is just one aspect of cancer care. Each patient’s cancer journey is unique, and in many cases, they need any number of services for support. This model is designed to treat the whole person, uniting experts across oncology, ra- diology, surgery, nutrition, painmanagement, and other specialties. Perhaps one of the most essential elements is nurse navigation for individual patients. Nurse navigators help keep patients on schedule with treatment, and they serve as an invaluable resource for patients for making informed decisions. care began in the mid-20th century as medi- cal advances demonstrated the complexity of cancer treatment. Experts recognized that when specialists and other healthcare pro- fessionals collaborate, the multidisciplinary model improves outcomes. The concept gained traction in the 1960s and ’70s, particularly in academic and re- search hospitals, where tumor boards were established to bring experts together to dis- cuss and plan individualized patient care. From there, the model expanded globally, becoming a cornerstone of modern oncology, ensuring comprehensive, patient-centered care that addresses the medical, emotional, and social needs of cancer patients. The importance of the multidisciplinary Understanding Multidisciplinary Cancer Care and Access in Louisiana