I’ll be honest. Collaborating to create the University of Colorado Health requires a great deal of work. You can imagine that the combining of two organizations – no matter how individually strong – takes a lot of effort.
That’s why it was especially energizing for us when Dr. Dan Theodorescu from the University of Colorado Cancer Center recently visited Fort Collins to meet with physicians and others.
Dr. Joshua Petit (left), director of Poudre Valley Health System's department of radiation oncology, and Dr. Dan Theodorescu, director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, during Dr. Theodorescu's recent visit to Fort Collins.
Dr. Theodorescu joined the CU Cancer Center in 2010, and it’s easy to see why he was selected as only its second director since its founding in 1985.
His visit was our first by a director from one of our nation’s 40 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers. We are so fortunate in Colorado to have the caliber of CU Cancer Center serving global cancer discovery.
The fact is, though, that with the creation of University of Colorado Health, together we’ll take discovery and innovation to a whole new level. Work is underway to drive more connections and research opportunities between our cancer programs.
What’s so special about the joining of Poudre Valley Health System and the University of Colorado Hospital to create University of Colorado Health?
Our collaboration will combine the science of a leading academic cancer research center with the patient-centered focus of a leading community-based cancer care system.
Dr. Theodorescu discussed with us a bold vision for our joined cancer services in University of Colorado Health, where the patient care path will be integrated whether a patient is in Denver, Loveland, Cheyenne or anywhere in between.
This means that patients will be able to conveniently access the level of cancer care they need by virtue of connected teams across our academic- and community-based services.
Our integration means cancer researchers will gain much-needed access to more study participants by bringing more clinical trials to communities throughout northern Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska.
It also means University of Colorado Health cancer experts – whether in Aurora, Greeley, Loveland, or Fort Collins – will have the chance to share ideas and advance cancer cure by working together more often.
The Poudre Valley Cancer Network is expected to serve as a regional center of excellence and major resource hub in Dr. Theodorescu’s proposed growth model.
Dr. Theodorescu calls this vision a two-pillar program, leveraging our respective strengths to broaden cancer care offerings across our new system.
It’s our hope that we’ll soon extend the model to a three-pillar one, furthering the network to include Memorial Health System in Colorado Springs.
Individuals of vision have a way of framing growth and change so that people can recognize the chance to make something great. Dr. Theodorescu’s vision and enthusiasm left us all abuzz at our chance to create a better model for cancer care and discovery in Colorado.
On behalf of our cancer program physicians and staff, I’d like to thank Dr. Theodorescu for making the time to get to know us better. We look forward to working with you and your CU Cancer Center team.
For more information, go to the site for Colorado Cancer Blogs and read this blog.
Rulon
