Partnership aims to improve cancer care for isle patients

Hawaii Pacific Health is increasing efforts to improve cancer treatment in the islands.

The parent company of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women &Children, Pali Momi Medical Center, Straub Clinic &Hospital and Wilcox Health on Kauai is partnering with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance — a cancer center ranked among the top 10 by U.S. News &World Report — to create prevention programs that improve screening and early detection and bring the latest clinical trials to local patients.

“One of the things that we bring to our other affiliates are opportunities for patients to participate in clinical trials,” said Dr. Marc Stewart, medical director for the alliance. “We believe that many times a clinical trial is sometimes the best treatment that one can offer patients.”

Hawaii Pacific Health will join a dozen other members in the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance — a nonprofit created by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington School of Medicine — and get access to research teams and cancer specialists not available in the state.

The group specializes in stem cell and bone marrow transplants, genetic profiling to identify people most at risk for the disease, and population health management — a term used to describe efforts to improve the health outcomes of a group or community while reducing medical costs. Financial details of the agreement weren’t disclosed.

Physicians with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance will conduct medical education seminars locally, oncology training for pharmacists and nurse practitioners, and help develop programs that will allow Hawaii Pacific Health to provide more complex care to patients with rare cancers, he said.

“Many people in Hawaii don’t relish the idea of traveling to the mainland for complicated care,” Stewart said. “What we’re interested in is being able to help develop the resources and expertise so that more complicated care can be delivered by Hawaii Pacific Health.”

The agreement also provides opportunities for University of Hawaii Cancer Center scientists to partner with Hawaii Pacific Health and the Seattle alliance on research projects for cancer prevention.

“It’s important because if one can prevent cancer or detect it early, there’s substantial not only survival benefits, but also substantial monetary savings,” Stewart said. “If we can help someone stop smoking or detect breast cancer at an early stage when it’s curable, both of those are not only great for patients, but they also reduce the cost of health care.”