Lakeland Regional Health’s Hollis Cancer Center and the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute have partnered to increase access to cancer care across Central Florida.
“We’re very excited about our ability to work collaboratively with Tampa General’s Cancer Institute to really continue advancing access to high-quality cancer services here in our community,” said Danielle Drummond, president and CEO of Lakeland Regional Health.
The partnership will give patients access to some cancer services that previously required a trip to Tampa or Orlando, easing the burden on patients and families. It will also facilitate cancer research opportunities and expand access to clinical trials in Lakeland.
Drummond said she hopes the partnership will give patients greater confidence and peace of mind when receiving cancer treatment at the Hollis Cancer Center.
“Our goal is always to provide the highest level of care to our patients close to home, and we are confident that combining our resources and expertise will offer tremendous benefits for our patients,” she said.
Bringing more oncologists to Hollis Cancer Center
Drummond said the partnership with Tampa General will bring new subspecialty clinical services to Lakeland Regional Health, including thoracic surgery and treatment for head and neck cancers, as well as more advanced malignant blood cancers.
She said four additional subspecialists from Tampa General — each bringing expertise in specific types of cancer — will join the team of 30 advanced providers at the Hollis Cancer Center in March.
“Patients in this community will be able to access those services both in the outpatient setting at Hollis, and if they require any sort of surgical or procedural intervention, that care can be provided at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center,” Drummond said.
Advancing research
Lakeland Regional Health will also increase its research capabilities through the partnership.
Cancer research aims to better understand different types of cancer, leading to improved prevention, earlier detection and new treatments. “It brings a lot of hope for patients that are on a very difficult journey or are seeing a loved one facing a very difficult diagnosis,” Drummond said.
“The power of the two organizations coming together will really allow us to do some pretty cutting edge work in the way of research,” she said.
Drummond said the plan is to assess the research capabilities of each organization, align those efforts and ultimately accelerate the research by working together.
Expanding access to clinical trials
Many patients become interested in participating in clinical trials during their cancer treatment journey, Drummond said.
Through the partnership, Lakeland Regional Health will be able to give patients access to a broader offering of clinical trials.
“We would like to work on bringing more of those clinical trial capabilities here locally so patients in the Lakeland area can participate and have that access closer to home than they may today,” Drummond said.
Looking to the future
Lakeland Regional already has a strong foundation, Drummond said, with a focus not only on advanced treatment, but also increasing cancer education and access to screening and preventative services. Since 2016, they’ve expanded and made significant investments in the physical space at the Hollis Cancer Center.
“But as our community has continued to grow, and as we’ve added our own capabilities, the time just seemed right for us to be able to work with a national leader in cancer services.”
After the Tampa General physicians join the Lakeland Regional team in the spring, Drummond said leaders will continue assessing to grow the partnership and add resources based on community needs.
If services are not currently offered at the Hollis Cancer Center, the partnership will help streamline and coordinate care between Tampa General and Lakeland Regional Health.
“We want to make sure that we are providing access to the highest quality services close to home,” Drummond said. “Through alignment with organizations like Tampa General for cancer services, we will be able to further that work.”
Anna Toms is a reporter for LkldNow, a nonprofit newsroom providing independent local news for Lakeland. Read at LkldNow.com
