Moffitt Cancer Center to partner with Central Florida Health Alliance

July 29, 2010

THE VILLAGES & LEESBURG, FLa. – Moffitt Cancer Center and Central Florida Health Alliance jointly announce today that they are partnering to provide world-class cancer care closer to home. The partnership will deliver state-of-the-art cancer care in two new facilities to be built on the campuses of Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Health System.

Under the new partnership, Moffitt will work with both hospitals, located in Lake and Sumter counties, Fla., to improve the cancer treatment outcomes -- and availability of advanced cancer care treatment options -- with a focus on quality and strengthening research capabilities within the health care community. Plans also include working together with the hospitals to improve cancer prevention and the health and wellness of cancer patients in the community. This includes active participation in Moffitt’s Total Cancer Care™ program.

Total Cancer Care™ is a comprehensive approach to cancer care, enabling researchers and the treatment team to identify and meet all the needs of a patient and her or his family during the patient’s lifetime and for future generations.

“Moffitt is proud to partner with CFHA to further our respective medical education, medical science and health service programs,” said William S. Dalton, Ph.D., M.D., chief executive officer and center director of Moffitt. “We want to be able to complement the broad spectrum of inpatient and outpatient care services currently being offered at Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Health System.”

Said Lee S. Huntley, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Central Florida Health Alliance, “The opportunity to provide Central Florida with world-class cancer treatment services will take our cancer care to a whole new level… knowing we are partnering with a reputable and world-renowned cancer care facility.”

Included in this partnership, a team of multidisciplinary Moffitt faculty members consult with the hospitals’ physicians and surgeons on patient cases, educational seminars and professional exchanges. Patients under treatment at The Villages Health System Hospital and Leesburg Regional Medical Center have access through their physicians to clinical trials offered through Moffitt, as well as relaying of critical patient care information through telecommunications and electronic medical records development.

“Over the years, our relationship with Moffitt has been a positive one, and we clearly share the same quality standards philosophy. With an even stronger partnership, we can expect to provide patients with a seamless environment of care, working closely with our local physicians, oncologists and surgeons which will allow us to meet our patient needs without the need to travel long distances and disrupt family life,” stated David Sustarsic, MD, board chairman, CFHA. Other advantages to the partnership include streamlining referrals to specialists and the incorporation of a patient navigation system, which will help coordinate and organize patients’ personal cancer treatment to better guide them through their care.

Each facility will begin construction on their respective campus in the fall of 2010 with completion dates in late 2011.

About Moffitt Cancer Center

Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center is an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center - a designation that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 14 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of theNational Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer. Moffitt’s sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.

About Central Florida Health Alliance

Central Florida Health Alliance is a not-for-profit corporate healthcare system consistently ranked at the top in patient satisfaction and outcomes that includes The Villages Health System, Leesburg Regional Medical Center, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, hyperbaric wound treatment and clinical laboratories serving Lake, Sumter and Marion counties. As the premier healthcare provider inthe region, the Central Florida Health Alliance takes pride in providing progressive, innovative technology along with strong relationships with patients, physicians and residents of the communities it serves.

About Leesburg Regional Medical Center

Leesburg Regional Medical Center is a 316-bed acute care hospital offering outstanding cardiovascular, neurosurgical and orthopedic care along with a Joint Commission approved designated stroke center, the first in the region. Along with a number of specialized services, Ohme Rehabilitation Center, a 22-bed inpatient comprehensive medical rehabilitation center, offers acute rehabilitation treatment for patients who have had a stroke, orthopedic, traumatic brain injury or other neurological disorders. Leesburg Regional Medical Center has served the surrounding communities in Lake, Sumter and Marion counties for nearly 50 years.

About The Villages Health System

The Villages Health System includes a 198-bed acute care hospital which has more than tripled in size since opening in 2002. Located in the heart of The Villages, the country’s premier active adult retirement community, The Villages Hospital offers world class medical services accessible by golf car. Already noted for its cardiovascular treatment, orthopedic care, wound healing, and clinical laboratories, The Villages Health System has recently added neurosurgery to its growing array of specialty services.

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