QUOTE
Area hospitals form consortium
By Deborah Sederberg, The News-Dispatch
Officials hope program will allow patients greater access to treatments and clinical trials
The leaders of nine hospitals from LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties Tuesday signed what might be called a historic document.
With the Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest in Gary, the hospitals formed the Northwest Indiana Medical Research Consortium, a not-for-profit program that will give local hospitals, physicians and patients greater access to the latest clinical trials and treatments for cancer and other diseases.
It's a question of numbers. Although some local hospitals, including St. Anthony Memorial, have participated in clinical trials and studies, the universities and the drug manufacturers who sponsor the trials often are looking for access to larger numbers of patients than any single northern Indiana hospital or practitioner can provide.
Through the consortium, those larger numbers will be available, thus giving local physicians access to the newest treatments and drugs available, said Amy Han, economic development director for the medical school.
Of the nine hospitals signing the incorporating document, one-third are sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc., which sponsors St. Anthony Memorial. Dave Ruskowski, president of St. Anthony Memorial, Seth Warren, president and CEO of St. Anthony in Crown Point and Tom Gryzbek, president and CEO of St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers of Hammond and Dyer, participated in the event along with executives from six other hospitals.
The Sisters of St. Francis Health Services organization, based in Mishawaka, is a major ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, an order of Catholic nuns also based in Mishawaka.
Other hospitals participating in the consortium are LaPorte Regional Health System, Porter Health in Valparaiso, Community Hospital in Munster, Methodist Hospitals in Merrillville, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.
Gene Diamond, CEO of the Northern Indiana Region of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc., attended the ceremony. Diamond said the consortium represents “cooperation among competitors for the benefit of all patients.”
“These folks are united in their commitment to seeing their patients receive the best resources and the best treatment they possibly can.”
St. Anthony Memorial's Ruskowski said the hospital has participated in small clinical trials of medications and treatments for cancer and cardiac disease.
“But we are very glad to be a part of this consortium. Our doctors are really embracing it,” he said. “People in this community will have access to breakthrough treatments without having to travel to Chicago.”
He also said the consortium will offer enormous assistance to participating physicians by assuming responsibility for some of the paperwork and record keeping. The consortium will employ research nurses and data technicians who will maintain many of the records, making it easier for doctors to participate in multiple trials.
Michael Haley, president and CEO of LaPorte Regional Health System, said he welcomes participation in the consortium. He acknowledged the competitive nature of the region's health care system but said each hospital has something to gain from cooperation through the consortium.
Speaking on behalf of Community Health System, John Gorski, senior vice president, quoted a statistic indicating that 75 percent of cancer patients who are children participate in some kind of clinical trial while only 4 percent of adult cancer patients do. The consortium, he said, will give hospitals in LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties the opportunity to offer clinical trial drugs and treatments to their patients without having them travel to Chicago.
By Deborah Sederberg, The News-Dispatch
Officials hope program will allow patients greater access to treatments and clinical trials
The leaders of nine hospitals from LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties Tuesday signed what might be called a historic document.
With the Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest in Gary, the hospitals formed the Northwest Indiana Medical Research Consortium, a not-for-profit program that will give local hospitals, physicians and patients greater access to the latest clinical trials and treatments for cancer and other diseases.
It's a question of numbers. Although some local hospitals, including St. Anthony Memorial, have participated in clinical trials and studies, the universities and the drug manufacturers who sponsor the trials often are looking for access to larger numbers of patients than any single northern Indiana hospital or practitioner can provide.
Through the consortium, those larger numbers will be available, thus giving local physicians access to the newest treatments and drugs available, said Amy Han, economic development director for the medical school.
Of the nine hospitals signing the incorporating document, one-third are sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc., which sponsors St. Anthony Memorial. Dave Ruskowski, president of St. Anthony Memorial, Seth Warren, president and CEO of St. Anthony in Crown Point and Tom Gryzbek, president and CEO of St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers of Hammond and Dyer, participated in the event along with executives from six other hospitals.
The Sisters of St. Francis Health Services organization, based in Mishawaka, is a major ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, an order of Catholic nuns also based in Mishawaka.
Other hospitals participating in the consortium are LaPorte Regional Health System, Porter Health in Valparaiso, Community Hospital in Munster, Methodist Hospitals in Merrillville, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.
Gene Diamond, CEO of the Northern Indiana Region of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc., attended the ceremony. Diamond said the consortium represents “cooperation among competitors for the benefit of all patients.”
“These folks are united in their commitment to seeing their patients receive the best resources and the best treatment they possibly can.”
St. Anthony Memorial's Ruskowski said the hospital has participated in small clinical trials of medications and treatments for cancer and cardiac disease.
“But we are very glad to be a part of this consortium. Our doctors are really embracing it,” he said. “People in this community will have access to breakthrough treatments without having to travel to Chicago.”
He also said the consortium will offer enormous assistance to participating physicians by assuming responsibility for some of the paperwork and record keeping. The consortium will employ research nurses and data technicians who will maintain many of the records, making it easier for doctors to participate in multiple trials.
Michael Haley, president and CEO of LaPorte Regional Health System, said he welcomes participation in the consortium. He acknowledged the competitive nature of the region's health care system but said each hospital has something to gain from cooperation through the consortium.
Speaking on behalf of Community Health System, John Gorski, senior vice president, quoted a statistic indicating that 75 percent of cancer patients who are children participate in some kind of clinical trial while only 4 percent of adult cancer patients do. The consortium, he said, will give hospitals in LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties the opportunity to offer clinical trial drugs and treatments to their patients without having them travel to Chicago.