Main Line Health's New Chairman of Surgery Serves Key Role at International Photodynamic Association World Congress Meeting

Patrick Ross, MD, PhD., newly appointed Chairman of the Department of Surgery, Main Line Health (MLH), recently served as a keynote speaker at the International Photodynamic Association’s World Congress Meeting in Rio de Janeiro regarding his contributions in advancing the role of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat thoracic cancer. At the meeting, Dr. Ross was named Secretary General of the Association, which focuses on the development of Photodynamic therapy and Photodiagnosis in health care institutions around the globe. In his leadership role, Dr. Ross will collaborate with the President and Board of Directors of the Association in developing a strategic plan to advance the mission of the Association.

“It was an honor to present to my colleagues from around the world as we continue to identify opportunities to propel the use of PDT in treating lung cancer, the number one cancer killer in both men and women.,” said Dr. Ross. “I look forward to working with the Association in a leadership capacity to develop initiatives that will enhance the prominence and expanded use of PDT.”

During his presentation, Dr. Ross spoke about “Photodynamic Therapy in Thoracic Oncology: A Pathway to Future Utilization” based on a study that was designed to develop a consortium of centers with active PDT programs to evaluate the indications and outcomes for this therapy. PDT is a medical treatment that utilizes special drugs, called photosensitizing agents, along with light, to kill cancer cells. With Dr. Ross’ arrival to MLH, the Health System will become the new coordinating facility for the multi-center registry and will continue to collect and share information related to PDT outcomes in an effort to advance its use on a global level.

In his newly appointed role as Chairman, Department of Surgery, Dr. Ross joins MLH clinical leadership to further enhance the System’s integrated surgical teams and to standardize surgical programs across the System’s four acute care hospitals, working directly with surgical program leaders to evaluate and optimize procedures and technology. Dr. Ross joins MLH after 24 years at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, OH, where he was Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Professor of Clinical Surgery. Dr. Ross maintains an active clinical practice with Main Line HealthCare Thoracic Surgery, devoting a significant portion of his time to direct patient care, particularly the evaluation and management of patients with thoracic tumors.

About Main Line Health
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health (MLH) is a not-for-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. At its core are four of the region’s respected acute care Hospitals — Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital — as well as one of the nation’s premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital; Mirmont Treatment Center for drug and alcohol recovery; and HomeCare & Hospice, a home health service. Main Line Health also consists of Main Line HealthCare, one of the region’s largest multi-specialty physician networks, and the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a non-profit biomedical research organization located on the campus of Lankenau Medical Center. Main Line Health also consists of four outpatient health centers located in Broomall, Collegeville, Exton and Newtown Square. Main Line Health Hospitals, with more than 10,000 employees and 2,000 physicians, are the recipients of numerous awards for quality care and service, including System Magnet® designation, the nation’s highest distinction for nursing excellence. Main Line Health is among the area’s leaders in medicine, providing advanced patient-centered care, education and research to help our community stay healthy.