300 Main Street, Suite 200, Dubuque, IA 52001
Mon – Thurs 8 am – 5 pm, Fri 8 am – 12 pm
For Immediate Release:
Date: July 25, 2018
Contact:
Kari Lammer, Marketing Communications Manager
Kari.Lammer@unitypoint.org or (563) 589-2585
Dubuque, IA— UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital is disappointed in the State Health Facilities Council’s decision to allow Mercy Medical Center to establish a second radiation program in Dubuque. Finley officials believe that two radiation oncology programs in Dubuque is duplicative, unnecessary and will result in a higher cost of care and lower quality treatment for cancer patients. Finley proposed and argued that a community comprehensive cancer center between both Finley and Mercy, as well as Grand River Medical Group and Medical Associates would be the best option to serve cancer patients in the Tri-State community. However, Mercy was only willing to consider collaboration on their terms.
Finley’s Wendt Regional Cancer Center already operates two linear accelerators and with advances in technology, has capacity to treat additional patients. Dividing a service that treats fewer than 400 patients annually across two campuses will require double the professional staff and high-tech equipment - driving up end-user costs for both patients and healthcare payers.
“A second radiation program in Dubuque will threaten the quality cancer care the Tri-States residents already receive,” said Tim Ahlers, Chief Operating and Financial Officer of UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital. “We believe a community comprehensive cancer center is the best option for members of the Tri-States. We will consider our options on how to move forward, including the appeal process, knowing that Dubuque is not large enough to support two high-quality cancer programs.”
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About UnityPoint Health® Finley Hospital
UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital is a private, not-for-profit; community owned and controlled regional health care facility. Finley Hospital is a member of UnityPoint Health, one of the nation’s most integrated health systems in the Midwest and 13th largest nonprofit health care system in the United States. UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital is committed to providing programs and services to improve the health of individuals throughout Dubuque and Tri-States communities and works to deliver the Best Outcome Every Patient Every Time. Centers of excellence include cancer care, heart care, birth care, emergency care, surgery services, and wound and hyperbaric services.
