La Fortune Cancer Center inside Tulsa's St. John Medical Center announced a budding partnership Tuesday with MD Anderson one of the foremost cancer treatment centers in the world.
KOSU’s Quinton Chandler reports the alliance may bring new hope to patients.
St. John is the only hospital in Oklahoma to become a certified member of the MD Anderson Cancer Network. Just last year 862 Oklahomans sought MD Anderson’s services down in Texas. Jeff Nowlin president and COO of St. John says the new partnership means Oklahomans can have access to MD Anderson quality care without having to leave the state.
“And it allows St. John La Fortune Cancer Center the opportunity to work closely with the specialists in Houston. Working closely with their clinical guidelines and protocols and eventually researching cancer."
Nowlin thinks just knowing they have access to Anderson’s renowned expertise will be an added reassurance to La Fortune patients and their families. The partnership officially began on June 1st. The COO says it took over a year to vet the hospital and its cancer center. Only 12 other hospitals meet Anderson’s stringent requirements to join the network.
