Las Vegas cancer care provider partners with USC

Another prominent health care organization is planting its flag in Southern Nevada.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada and the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Tuesday announced a partnership to provide treatment and cooperation in clinical trials.

The Nevada cancer center becomes the latest Las Vegas Valley health care firm to join with prominent affiliates to enhance the quality of care and services for patients. The USC Norris brand joins the Cleveland Clinic, Stanford Hospital and other distinguished names affiliated with health care providers in Southern Nevada.

Such partnerships widen the scope of therapies and procedures available in Southern Nevada with the goal of having fewer patients needing to travel outside the area for treatment. Some specialties are provided on a regional basis nationwide, requiring patients outside of major population hubs to travel to receive care. The affiliations create communities of colleagues between the institutions and allow for easier sharing of medical records.

Partnerships are becoming the norm in the health care industry. To stay competitive, the most successful companies collaborate on new procedures and treatments, and pursue experts to help fill gaps in the services they offer. The creation of partnerships creates parties with stakes in the effort, which means the companies are more apt to devote time, energy and resources to obtain meaningful results.

Consumers also see value in collaboration. A survey by the Health Research Institute, a division of the professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers, showed 58 percent of respondents agreed they would be more likely to choose a health care company in a partnership with others to improve services.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center will work together to discover, develop and market new therapies for cancer patients, sharing technical, research and scientific expertise. The two companies will offer more than 80 years of combined experience and provide Southern Nevadans access to 370 clinical trials.

"We see a steady stream of patients leaving the area. We want to turn that stream around," said Dr. James Sanchez, medical oncologist and practice president of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada. "We're not just adding a brand. We're looking to expand our treatment options."

Sanchez said the affiliation might eventually result in bone marrow transplants and specialty surgeries for sarcomas, cancers that affect bone, muscle, cartilage, blood vessels and other connective tissues in the body.

In 2012, Dignity Health Nevada, operator of the three St. Rose Dominican hospitals in Southern Nevada, entered into a partnership with Stanford Hospital to treat heart, chest and neurological disorders. The affiliation was the first time Stanford Hospital ventured out of California for a clinical collaboration.

"It's allowed us to offer new protocols and practices that weren't previously available here," said Brian Brannman, head of Dignity Health Nevada. "The ability to tap into the academic center at Stanford has been very beneficial."

Like Stanford Hospital, Cleveland Clinic consistently ranks among the most highly rated medical institutions in the nation. Cleveland Clinic owns the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, the inspiration of Las Vegas businessman Larry Ruvo, who sought to create a medical facility dedicated to more effective treatments for brain diseases and providing care for patients and their families.

The Children's Medical Center at Summerlin Hospital, part of the Valley Health System, is affiliated with Intermountain Healthcare Primary Children's Hospital, a 289-bed facility for children with complex illness and injury from across the West. The collaboration allows Southern Nevadans access to more specialists, either in-person or via telemedicine consultations, in Summerlin's pediatric emergency room, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, and outpatient physical therapy center.

Pediatric specialties such as cranial-facial surgeries, stem cell transplants, and liver and heart transplants are not available in Southern Nevada, but Summerlin's partnership makes the process easier for children and parents when those treatments are needed, hospital CEO Robert Freymuller said. Two years ago, Valley Health officials were looking at advanced services not available in Las Vegas.

"That's when we saw the opportunity to advance the quality of care and access to care and put together a better framework for families and referring physicians alike," Freymuller said.

The pact includes doctors and nurse educators from Utah conducting continuing education for health care professionals in Las Vegas.

"If there's a service we want to provide in Las Vegas, we can reach out to Intermountain for that expertise," Freymuller said.

Contact Steven Moore at smoore@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563.