WellStar & Northwest Georgia Oncology Partner

WellStar Health System today announced a partnership with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers (NGOC) to enhance community-based cancer care. The agreement provides patients greater access to treatment options, pharmaceuticals and high quality, supportive care within the WellStar Health System.

“This partnership aligns with our core belief that strong and trusting partnerships yield healthy outcomes,” said Candice Saunders, WellStar CEO. “NGOC has consistently and positively impacted the quality of care and wellbeing of its patients with the most advanced cancer treatment options in the region. As a community-based health system, and one of Georgia’s largest, we are pleased to partner in extending their access to WellStar’s innovative, collaborative, and patient-centered care.”

NGOC is a nationally recognized oncology team of 22 physicians and 22 physician extenders who provide oral and IV cancer treatments. The practice was instrumental in creating industry standards for patient-centered cancer care and was the first of its kind in the country accredited by the Commission on Cancer. NGOC locations offering services to WellStar patients include:

• Marietta 340 Kennestone Hospital Blvd., Suite 200 Marietta, Georgia
• Austell 1700 Hospital South Dr., Suite 300 Austell, Georgia 30106
• Douglasville 6002 Professional Pkwy., Suite 220 Douglasville, Georgia 30134
• Paulding 144 Bill Carruth Pkwy., Suite 3100 Hiram, Georgia 30141
• Cartersville 100 Market Place Blvd., Suite 200 Cartersville, Georgia 30121
• North Fulton 2500 Hospital Blvd, Suite 490 Roswell, GA 30076
• Jasper 1020 J.L. White Drive, Suite 160, Jasper, GA 30143

“WellStar and NGOC offer an advanced multidisciplinary approach known as the STAT clinical model,” said Dr. Michael Andrews, Chief Cancer Officer for WellStar Health System. “Through this model, patients with new cancer diagnoses are seen by multiple physicians at one time. This facilitates better communication among the physicians and patients, which leads to significant reductions in time to treatment, improved patient satisfaction and most important, enhanced survival rates.”

Through NGOC’s cancer drug research program, patients receive novel cancer drugs, 22 of which received FDA approval after being studied as part of the NGOC program. Within the new agreement, access to national cancer trials will be offered through WellStar’s affiliation with Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic will also provide high-quality second opinions in the community without requiring travel.

WellStar Health System's integrated approach to cancer treatment has been recognized by The American College of Surgeons, which awarded the WellStar Cancer Network accreditation as a Network Cancer Program, the first in Georgia and only the fifth nationwide. The WellStar Cancer Network combines the convenience of community-based, world-renowned oncologists with the most technologically advanced treatment available. From initial diagnosis through treatment, an integrated, multidisciplinary team of highly-skilled surgeons and radiation oncologists provides cancer patients with compassionate, superior care in a supportive and respectful environment.

For more information, visit wellstar.org.