Sunday, October 05, 2008
Congressman Rogers Secures Funding For Cancer Treatment Equipment At Pikeville Medical Center.
Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) announced today that the U.S. Department of Energy has released a $479,000 grant to Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) to assist with the acquisition of a $4.7 million linear accelerator, used in radiation therapy for the treatment of cancerous tumors. Rogers secured this funding as a part of the FY08 Omnibus Appropriations Act, signed into law on December 27, 2007.
“Far too many eastern Kentuckians suffer from cancer and heart disease, and one of my top priorities has been to ensure that they have access to affordable treatment at the cutting edge of medical research,” stated Rogers. “The Pikeville Medical Center has made tremendous strides for the people of our region through its top-notch cancer research, practical treatment of cancer and implementation of leading edge advancements in cancer care. I am pleased to lend federal support to PMC’s acquisition of a new linear accelerator because that means residents of eastern Kentucky won’t have to travel far to get the best possible caner treatment.”
Pikeville Medical Center is a full service multi-faceted hospital providing a vast array of medical services to thousands of eastern Kentuckians, and is one of the most significant providers of cancer-related services in the region.
The new linear accelerator will allow medical professionals to provide cancer patients with increased doses of radiation therapy with greater localization, which reduces ancillary exposure to organs and vital systems. Such “high dose radiation” (HDR) treatment allows physicians and surgeons to treat breast, gynecologic and prostate cancers more directly after surgery by delivering radioactive source material directly to the affected site. Pikeville Medical Center also plans to install a comprehensive cancer center electronic medical record for radiation and medical oncology, which interfaces with other clinical systems to monitor all patient information necessary for treatment and scheduling. Such electronic records enhance the capability of oncologists to link patients to national cancer trials and enroll them in research protocols, thus providing patients with access to the very latest in cancer treatment.
Through his role as a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rogers works to secure funding for important initiatives in the fifth Congressional district.
“Far too many eastern Kentuckians suffer from cancer and heart disease, and one of my top priorities has been to ensure that they have access to affordable treatment at the cutting edge of medical research,” stated Rogers. “The Pikeville Medical Center has made tremendous strides for the people of our region through its top-notch cancer research, practical treatment of cancer and implementation of leading edge advancements in cancer care. I am pleased to lend federal support to PMC’s acquisition of a new linear accelerator because that means residents of eastern Kentucky won’t have to travel far to get the best possible caner treatment.”
Pikeville Medical Center is a full service multi-faceted hospital providing a vast array of medical services to thousands of eastern Kentuckians, and is one of the most significant providers of cancer-related services in the region.
The new linear accelerator will allow medical professionals to provide cancer patients with increased doses of radiation therapy with greater localization, which reduces ancillary exposure to organs and vital systems. Such “high dose radiation” (HDR) treatment allows physicians and surgeons to treat breast, gynecologic and prostate cancers more directly after surgery by delivering radioactive source material directly to the affected site. Pikeville Medical Center also plans to install a comprehensive cancer center electronic medical record for radiation and medical oncology, which interfaces with other clinical systems to monitor all patient information necessary for treatment and scheduling. Such electronic records enhance the capability of oncologists to link patients to national cancer trials and enroll them in research protocols, thus providing patients with access to the very latest in cancer treatment.
Through his role as a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rogers works to secure funding for important initiatives in the fifth Congressional district.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 7:28 AM 
