Gila Regional Medical Center | Wellness Companion | Winter 2018

Gila Regional’s Your Partner in Health For your lungs: Ready to quit smoking this year? Need a family doctor? Start here. 3 7 WI NTER 2018 TRANSITIONING to a new care provider can be a lengthy and difficult process. When the Gila Regional Cancer Center changed its providers, it was a bumpy ride with many unexpected challenges. A pro- cess that can take up to a year to accomplish took Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) and the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) around three months to achieve. Medical oncology services were restored on Oct. 20, with radia- tion therapy expected to resume in Quality, compassionate cancer care CLOSE TO HOME March of 2018. An open house was held for the Gila Regional Cancer Center on Oct. 19, to celebrate the return of medical oncology services. Represen- tatives from UNMCCC, including its Chief Executive Officer Cheryl Willman, MD, came from Albuquerque to meet with the public and answer questions. “From my perspective, this has been a rapid transition,” Dr. Willman says. “Until we complete the hiring process for a full-time oncologist to live here, UNM oncologists will rotate down to the Gila Regional Cancer Center once a week.” Quality, compassionate cancer care will continue at the Gila Regional Cancer Center. Patients will see some familiar faces and some new ones, but they can be assured that the mission is the same—to fight cancer and win. STRONGERTOGETHER. We are your cancer care team. GRMC and UNMCCC have joined forces to help you fight cancer and win. You don’t have to face cancer alone. Call us at 575-538-4009 .