Franciscan Health Cancer Center Munster and RUSH University System for Health (RUSH) have announced a partnership to bring the Chicago-based health system’s nationally-recognized thoracic surgeons to Northwest Indiana. RUSH surgeons will now see patients or perform procedures at the Franciscan Health Munster and Dyer campuses.
The partnership comes as Franciscan Health Munster is adding the new Auris MONARCH® system to its comprehensive lung cancer care. It’s the latest technology in robotic bronchoscopy surgery with the ability to reach small nodules in the lung, helping diagnose lung cancer in the early stage and giving patients the best chance to beat this deadly disease.
Patrick Maloney, president and CEO of Franciscan Health Dyer, Hammond and Munster, says, “Bringing in RUSH’s dedicated thoracic surgeons and introducing the latest in robotic bronchoscopy with the Auris MONARCH® system demonstrates the commitment Franciscan Health has to raising the bar for diagnosing and treating lung cancer. Patients don’t need to travel to the city for the best care, they can find it right here.”
Leaders from Franciscan Alliance and RUSH said a goal of the partnership is to further develop a multidisciplinary clinic with a highly trained team of lung cancer specialists. The collaboration between Franciscan Health and RUSH will guide patients from screening and diagnosis to the creation of a comprehensive individual treatment plan.
“Franciscan Health has a strong lung cancer screening program. Now with the Auris MONARCH® system and our partnership with RUSH’s thoracic surgeons, we will be able to move quickly to get patients who have a positive lung nodule into treatment,” says Dr. Cory Hogue, radiation oncologist with Franciscan Physician Network.
The comprehensive lung cancer care at Franciscan Health Cancer Center Munster includes:
• Genomic/molecular testing to determine a personalized treatment plan including immunotherapy options
• Targeted radiation therapy using the highly precise SBRT treatments when surgery is not an option that delivers better accuracy, faster treatment times, and safe, low-dose imaging
• Minimally invasive robotic surgery
• Early detection with robotic bronchoscopy
• Dedicated lung cancer nurse navigation
• $49 lung and heart screening program
The MONARCH® platform from Auris Health effectively integrates endoscopes, instruments, navigation and robotics into one easy-to-use platform. MONARCH® allows the physician to have a full suite of capabilities when it comes to diagnostic and therapeutic intervention. It is designed to travel deep into the lungs, precisely guide a biopsy instrument into even the most difficult nodules, while maintaining sight during the most critical segment of the procedure, the biopsy. The fact that MONARCH® endoscopes are designed for continuous vision throughout the intervention also differentiates the platform.
The Franciscan Alliance healthcare ministry began in Lafayette, Ind., in 1875 and has stayed true to our founding mission to care for everyone who comes through our doors. We treat our patients with the best possible care by following the guiding ethical values embodied by our founding congregation, the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration.
Today, Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 12 hospital campuses, more than 19,000 employees and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan Alliance provides primary and specialty care services throughout Indiana, including five community hospitals in Northwest Indiana and hospitals in the Lafayette and Indianapolis metro areas, along with an Illinois teaching hospital at Olympia Fields.
Rush University System for Health (RUSH) brings together the brightest minds in medicine, research and academics. Driven by discovery, innovation and a deep responsibility for the health of our communities, RUSH is a national leader in outstanding patient care, education, research, community partnerships and health equity.
RUSH is a nonprofit health system that includes Rush University Medical Center, Rush University, Rush Oak Park Hospital and Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora, as well as an extensive network of providers and outpatient care facilities. Rush University, with an enrollment of more than 2,800, comprises four colleges: Rush Medical College, the College of Nursing, the College of Health Sciences and the Graduate College.
Rush University Medical Center is ranked among the top hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The Medical Center consistently is named among the top academic medical centers for by Vizient Inc. and a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group.
