Two Healthcare Orgs to Connect on Cancer Care Through Telehealth

The Calif.-based Stanford Health Care’s Cancer Center and the Corvallis, Ore.-based Samaritan Health Services are using telemedicine technology to allow local oncologists and other clinicians to connect to present complex or rare cancer cases and discuss treatment options and plans.

The telemedicine technology will be available in Samaritan’s expanded Pastega Regional Cancer Center beginning later this year, officials say. The collaboration will allow local oncologists and other clinicians to connect with their Stanford Medicine counterparts. “We are excited about the new partnership with Stanford,” Samaritan president/CEO Larry Mullins said in a press statement. “Along with providing valuable resources to our patients and providers, the collaboration presents a number of opportunities for our organization to enhance cancer care for patients in our service area.”

The $15-million-dollar fundraising campaign to support Samaritan’s center and program expansion is the largest in the organization’s history. Led by the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation, it includes $12.2 million to build the new center, including construction and expansion of the existing Mario Pastega House, $1.8 million to build a program endowment and support services, and an additional $1 million to develop a regional patient navigation program and resource center. Nearly $9 million has been raised to date. The center is expected to be completed in November.