Infirmary Health of Mobile is partnering with UAB Health Systems to expand cancer care options for patients in the Gulf Coast area.

Now an affiliate of UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, Infirmary Health will allow patients in Mobile and Baldwin Counties to receive the care that they need without having to travel to Birmingham.

With the exception of major procedures, most cancer treatment will be able to take place in any of the Infirmary care centers in Mobile, Fairhope, Bay Minette, Daphne, and Saraland.

“As Infirmary Health developed its cancer program, Infirmary Cancer Care, we wanted to have a meaningful and care altering partnership that would enable us to continue to offer the highest level of care for our patients,” said Mark Nix, President and CEO, Infirmary Health.

“Collaboration and affiliation with the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of the few National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the country, makes this goal possible, and we are confident our collaborative future with UAB will further our organization’s vision of being the first choice for healthcare in our region.”

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Specialized physicians from UAB will be recruited and placed in Infirmary Cancer Care locations, and that at least four have already been recruited.

With the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center serving as the only National Cancer
Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center in Alabama and Infirmary Health as the largest integrated health system in South Alabama and along the central Gulf Coast, the blending of expertise, resources, and services between the two organizations will foster collaboration in clinical care, basic translational care services, prevention, and early cancer detection among existing and new patients.

“Collaboration is important, because we need to be able to provide this care by working with physicians in Mobile and other regions of the state who are providing direct daily care of these cancer patients,” said Dr. Barry Sleckman, Director of UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“They’ll have access to cutting edge cancer care. And cutting-edge cancer care today will not be the same as it will be tomorrow. It’s changing every day. And they will have the ability to access the most current cancer care for their particular type of cancer. And be able to access that care closer to home,” Dr. Sleckman told FOX 10 in Mobile.

According to UAB, for the Health System and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, this partnership furthers the enterprise’s commitment to providing the highest level of care possible for all Alabamians and for those who seek medical services from UAB Medicine.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP