Northern Light Mercy Hospital becomes newest member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative

Date: 11/16/2023

Northern Light Mercy Hospital announced today that it will become the newest member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative. 

“We are excited to bring the renowned expertise of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute closer to home for our patients,” said Charlie Therrien, president of Mercy Hospital. “Through this collaboration, our patients can be assured that our cancer care is validated by one of the world’s leading cancer centers.”

As a Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative member, Mercy Hospital now has access to virtual consults and second opinions, support and education for physicians and nurses, and streamlined access to Dana-Farber specialists in Boston for patients with complex cancers.

As part of the membership process, Mercy Hospital was required to meet a wide range of standards and best practices in adult oncology. Dana-Farber Cancer clinicians and specialists conducted an extensive review of Mercy Hospital’s outpatient adult medical oncology practices and procedures, including patient safety protocols, nursing and pharmacy practices, chemotherapy administration, and information systems. 

“We are very pleased to welcome Northern Light Mercy Hospital as a new member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative and look forward to our work together. The Collaborative furthers our mission of helping to relieve the burden of cancer for as many people as possible. We do this by conducting research to develop new and better therapies, providing expert and compassionate care for patients, and extending our expertise and working with other carefully selected care providers, such as Northern Light Mercy Hospital,” said Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, President and CEO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Collaborative helps disseminate the latest and most effective, evidence-based best practices and standards to member hospitals and physician practices. Members also take advantage of ongoing consultations and access to support services, such as tumor board conferences and physician lectures.

Northern Light Mercy Cancer Care currently partners with New England Cancer Specialists (NECS)—the first and only Affiliate Member of Dana-Farber—to expand access to the highest-quality cancer care in the region. Physicians from Mercy Hospital and New England Cancer Specialists will now collaborate more closely with Dana-Farber on matters concerning diagnosis, treatment, and prevention for Mercy’s cancer patients.

Mercy Hospital is a member of Northern Light Health, a statewide health system in Maine that includes Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, which is an existing member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative.