April 26, 2004
                                                                                                                                 

UPMC & JAMESON HEALTH SYSTEM COLLABORATE ON
STATE-OF-THE-ART CANCER CENTER IN NEW CASTLE

PITTSBURGH, April 26– Leaders from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and Jameson Health System (JHS) jointly announced plans to open a regional cancer center in New Castle. Working in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the center will consist of upgrades and renovations to an existing Medical Arts Building on Wilmington Road and the consolidation of Jameson’s medical and radiation oncology services, offering patients in the community comprehensive cancer care under one roof.

The center, a 50-50 joint venture between UPMC and JHS, will be the newest addition to a network of more than 40 UPMC Cancer Centers that serve more than 25,000 cancer patients each year across the tri-state region.

“This center will offer cancer patients in the region exceptional care and state-of-the-art medical and radiation services close to home,” said Jeff Shogan, M.D., deputy director for business affairs, UPMC Cancer Centers.  Dr. Shogan added that it will allow community-based physicians to collaborate with 2,300 health care professionals and other staff across the UPMC Cancer Centers network.

“In 1972 when Jameson began offering the area’s first linear accelerator radiation cancer therapy program, we made a commitment to continue to advance cancer care for the citizens of Lawrence County,” said Thomas White, president/CEO, Jameson Health System.  “Over the years, the cancer program has grown technically and programmatically.  With this new relationship we will continue our efforts of bringing new and advanced programs to our community.  In doing so, we continue to fulfill our community mission and look forward to working with UPMC on this most important project for the citizens of Lawrence County.” 

The center will be located at the existing Medical Arts Building at 2602 Wilmington Rd. in New Castle.  It will consist of a 6,500 square-foot renovation to the existing facility and construction of approximately 1,000 additional square feet of clinical space.  Scheduled to open in Spring 2005, the center will provide new radiation services, positron emission tomography (PET) scanning services and combined PET/CT.  The projected cost for the project is approximately $5 million.

The new center also will provide patients in the area with an advanced form of radiation therapy called intensity modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT. IMRT precisely targets radiation to the shape and thickness of a tumor to treat cancer cells while minimizing the dose of radiation received by healthy tissues that surround the tumor. This results in fewer adverse side effects for patients undergoing treatment and can significantly improve quality of life for patients receiving IMRT compared to those receiving standard radiation therapy.

Jameson Memorial Hospital, a 308-bed facility, was founded in 1929 and is part of the Jameson Health System which operates as a full-service acute care facility with a full continuum of quality health and human services in New Castle, Lawrence County.  Jameson employs approximately 1,600 full and part-time employees with a payroll exceeding $48 million a year and is Lawrence County’s largest employer.   Jameson's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws require that each member of the board of directors of Jameson Health System, Jameson Hospital and its other subsidiaries and its general membership be residents or maintain a business in Lawrence County, thereby assuring community based control of the Health System and its subsidiaries.  For more information about Jameson Health System call (724) 656-4145 or visit the Web site at www.jamesonhealthsystem.com.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is the leading integrated delivery system for health care in Pennsylvania. UPMC is dedicated to providing exemplary patient care, educating the next generation of health care professionals and advancing biomedical research. UPMC includes primary care and specialist physician practices, rehabilitation services, in-home services, retirement living options, a mail-order pharmacy, occupational medicine services, durable medical devices, technology transfer ventures and international health care initiatives.

For more information about the UPMC Cancer Centers, call the Cancer Information and Referral Service at (412) 647-2811 or visit the Web site at www.upmccancercenters.com.

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