UAMS, Baptist Health partner on new cancer care initiative

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences announced to employees on Tuesday (June 1) that it is collaborating on a new cancer care initiative with Little Rock-based Baptist Health.

“Building on our longstanding relationship, UAMS and Baptist Health are taking steps to expand the innovative and unique oncological care found at our Cancer Institute, starting with the opening in the near future of the UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Center on Baptist’s North Little Rock campus,” UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson revealed in a memo to employees.

Patterson said locations for additional new UAMS Baptist Health cancer centers are not final yet, but Baptist’s statewide footprint stretches from Fort Smith through central Arkansas and ranges from north central Arkansas into south Arkansas.

He said the collaboration will benefit Baptist Health, which is expanding its cancer program, and the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, which will have increased access to Arkansas patients who need its help through Baptist Health’s existing network of 11 hospitals and over 100 primary and specialty care clinics.

The partnership will include medical oncology, infusion and radiation therapy services and will initially be available at the new Cancer Center in North Little Rock, which will be fully staffed by UAMS physician specialists, nurses and radiation therapists.

Patterson, who appeared on this week’s edition of Talk Business & Politics, noted other partnerships UAMS has for cancer care, specifically Highlands Oncology in Northwest Arkansas and pediatric oncology with Arkansas Children’s. He said the Baptist Health partnership makes further good sense.

“We always do our best work when we are in partnership with others,” Patterson said. “As we recognize the state’s needs more cancer services better distributed across the state, who better for us to work with for adult cancer than Baptist Health.”

“This collaboration benefits both Baptist Health, which is expanding its cancer program, and the Cancer Institute, which will have increased access to Arkansas patients who need its help through Baptist Health’s existing network of 11 hospitals and over 100 primary and specialty care clinics,” said Troy Wells, Baptist Health CEO.

You can watch Patterson’s recent interview on other health topics in the video below.