The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System and Mobile, Ala.-based Infirmary Health have formed a joint venture to provide comprehensive cancer services to patients in southern Alabama, southeast Mississippi and the Florida panhandle.
The partnership aims to reduce the burden of cancer, improve outcomes and expand cancer scientific discovery through the increased footprint and resources of both health systems.
"As Infirmary Health developed its cancer program, Infirmary Cancer Care, we wanted to have a meaningful and care-altering partnership that would enable us to continue to offer the highest level of care for our patients," Infirmary President and CEO Mark Nix said in a Jan. 24 news release. "Collaboration and affiliation with the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, one of the few National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country, makes this goal possible."
Combining the health systems' expertise, resources and services will foster collaboration in clinical care, basic translational care services, prevention and early cancer detection among new and existing patients.
"At UAB, our mission is to strive to offer an NCI-designated level of cancer care to anyone with cancer in the state of Alabama and bordering states, and this new partnership enables us to do just that," Barry Sleckman, MD, PhD, director of the O'Meal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, said. "Partnering with Infirmary Cancer Care allows us to extend our impact and provide our expertise to a broader patient population and to expand access to cancer clinical trials while allowing patients to remain close to home."
UAB and Infirmary will continue to provide clinical services under their current licenses and legal entities. There is no change in ownership as a result of the partnership.