Greater Baton Rouge cancer care takes new shape as organizations expand offerings and creates convenient access for patient-centered approach
(Baton Rouge, La.) – Today, Baton Rouge General’s Pennington Cancer Center (BRG), Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates (LHOA) announced they have signed a Letter of Intent to expand access to cancer care in the Baton Rouge area.
Together, the partners will offer innovative, comprehensive cancer care throughout the region, adding additional locations for breakthrough treatments, expanded access to the latest technology and new expansive opportunities for clinical trials and research.
“This partnership represents a qualitative leap forward in cancer care in the Greater Baton Rouge Area,” said Edgardo Tenreiro, chief executive officer at BRG. “It will mean more access to even better cancer care right here, without leaving home. In conjunction with our partnership with the Mayo Clinic Care Network, it will ensure that Baton Rouge will remain the premier cancer care destination in Louisiana for years to come.”
To facilitate the partnership with Baton Rouge General, Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates, the exclusive medical oncology practice in partnership with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in the capital region, will open a clinic at BRG Bluebonnet, effective January 1, 2022. In Baton Rouge, this will be Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s third location in addition to its main campus on Essen Lane and the Breast & GYN Cancer Pavilion on the Woman’s Hospital campus. Additionally, LHOA has and continues to provide medical oncology services on behalf of Our Lady of the Lake at LSU Health Baton Rouge North Clinic.
“We are excited to expand our practice to another location in the Greater Baton Rouge area,” said Dr. Daniel LaVie, medical oncologist, Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates. “This enables us to offer the highest level of cancer care at sites more convenient to our patients while working with the physicians at Baton Rouge General to bring more collaborative, multi-disciplinary care to our region.”
The agreement will include BRG’s Pennington Cancer Center locations at Bluebonnet, Mid City and Zachary. There is also a provision for Ascension-area patients to receive coordinated care at all Mary Bird Perkins’ Baton Rouge facilities including its Gonzales location, providing more options for patients to receive care close to home.
“We have offered community-based care for 50 years, and this partnership helps bring the physician-patient relationship to the forefront,” said Todd Stevens, president and chief executive officer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “We believe that focusing solely on the needs of individuals impacted by cancer by elevating doctor-patient relationships and bolstering technology, medicine and other key initiatives are critical in keeping pace with the rapid innovations in the field. Empowering and involving physicians throughout the decision-making process leads to better treatment outcomes. This partnership allows another opportunity to fight cancer at a community-wide level.”
More than 4,000 patients are diagnosed with cancer in the Baton Rouge area every year, with nearly 40% of residents expected to develop cancer in their lifetime.
The collaboration will allow the programs to share technology, integrate clinical programs, including nutrition, rehabilitation, support groups, and medical oncology, and connect patients with enhanced treatment options across all partner facilities.
Patient care through this new relationship will begin January 1, 2022.
This announcement comes on the heels of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s recent partnership with OneOncology and the expansion of its services and recruitment of additional medical oncologists at its Northshore location in Covington. Genevieve Maronge, MD and Faizan I. Malik, MD join Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at Covington and Northshore Oncology Associates, an exclusive physician group of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in the Northshore community.
About Baton Rouge General’s Pennington Cancer Center
Opened in 1987, Baton Rouge General’s cancer program was the first accredited cancer program in Baton Rouge, and now treats patients across the region – at Bluebonnet, Mid City and in Zachary. It was named after the Pennington family in 2006, after a generous donation from The Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation that allowed BRG to be the first in the country to purchase the Artiste linear accelerator. At the time, it was the most advanced treatment option and increased access to local, high quality cancer care for people throughout the region. BRG was also Louisiana’s first accredited comprehensive breast center. For more information, visit brgeneral.org.
About Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is a regional cancer care organization that has been fighting cancer for 50 years. The cancer care organization provides care at nine centers in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma, Gonzales, Zachary and Natchez, Mississippi, and its service area encompasses southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi regions. Mary Bird Perkins has a strategic partnership with OneOncology and the largest radiation and medical oncology groups from across the area including exclusive partnerships with Southeastern Louisiana Radiation Oncology Group, which provides radiation therapy throughout Mary Bird Perkins’ service areas, Northshore Oncology Associates, serving St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, specifically the communities of Covington and Slidell and Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates, which services the Greater Baton Rouge area.. For more information, please visit www.marybird.org.