UAMS, Baptist Health open new cancer clinic in LR; infusion center coming this fall

Baptist Health and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) on Thursday (May 18) held a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of a new cancer clinic and infusion center on the campus of Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock.

UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Clinic-Little Rock, in Suite 500 of the Hickingbotham Outpatient Center on the Baptist campus, will manage the full spectrum of options for cancer patients such as prescribing the appropriate chemotherapy and leading a multidisciplinary approach to address all of a cancer patient’s health needs.

“Both Baptist Health and UAMS understand that cancer care is a critical part of providing quality health care to our community,” said Troy Wells, president and CEO of Baptist Health. “That’s why we are committed to expanding cancer services and resources together so that Arkansans can receive the care they need as close to home as possible. We remain committed to helping those who are fighting this difficult battle and ensuring they receive the best possible outcomes. It is our mission to provide Arkansans with compassionate care that meets the highest standards of quality.”

“Today marks the next step in our partnership with Baptist Health as we work together to expand access to the most advanced cancer care to every corner of our state,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “Our vision is for Baptist Health patients to be able to receive the novel treatments provided by our UAMS cancer experts, including innovative clinical trials, at their Baptist Health clinic or hospital. The more entry points we can give patients to exceptional care, the better chance they have of being diagnosed early and surviving this disease that is impacting Arkansans so significantly.”

UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Clinic-Little Rock will be staffed by a team of hematology/oncology, gynecologic oncology, and neuro-oncology specialists from the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, as well as a variety of other surgical and non-surgical oncology specialists.

With disease specific expertise in more than 35 cancer types, UAMS medical oncologists are trained to manage a patient’s overall care and treatment plan, which may involve a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and other interventions. Specialists from all areas of cancer care work together to develop a personalized treatment plan for each patient.

“This is the second and largest cancer clinic to open in the UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Network and continues our mission to bring cutting-edge treatment to patients where they need it,” said Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor and director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at UAMS. “Our cancer experts at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute who staff these cancer clinics are uniquely trained to provide a more sophisticated level of care enhanced by the latest research, cutting edge treatments and clinical trials available nowhere else.”

“UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Clinic-Little Rock is one more way Baptist Health and UAMS are bringing exceptional and unmatched cancer care options to Arkansans,” said UAMS medical oncologist Anusha Jillella, M.D. “This collaboration simplifies oncology and allows therapy options to be more personalized for each patient, including through clinical trials. Through our partnership, we are also leveraging Baptist Health’s network of 11 hospitals and 100 clinics to bridge the gaps in the state’s cancer care network.”

A 32-bay infusion center is also set to open in the Hickingbotham Outpatient Center this September. Services will include therapies for both cancer and non-cancerous conditions.

Additionally, the infusion center will have a blend of patient treatment areas to accommodate specific needs (open pods versus isolation/private) and eventually an embedded urgent care clinic specifically designed for cancer patients.

In 2020, the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees approved a joint venture between the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and Baptist Health to expand comprehensive cancer care.

UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Clinic-Little Rock furthers the partnership’s goal of leveraging Baptist Health facilities across the state to expand cancer care and elevate the level of care that Arkansans have come to expect from both long-standing names in health care.

The clinic, at 9500 Kanis Road in Little Rock, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Clinic, visit Baptist-Health.com/StrongerTogether.