LIVEWELL MINUTE: Blue Distinction
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa has named the John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Methodist Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers. Stoddard is the only cancer program in central Iowa to receive this distinction.
Dr. Daniel Kollmorgen, MD, Medical Director, John Stoddard Cancer Center says, “Complex and rare cancers comprise approximately 15 percent of new cancer cases each year, making it difficult for patients to locate physicians that are experienced in treating these specific cancers.”
The John Stoddard Cancer Center was chosen for having expertise in five complex and rare cancers:
- Bladder
- Esophageal
- Gastric
- Pancreatic
- Rectal
Among other selection criteria, Stoddard was also chosen because of multidisciplinary team input that demonstrated depth of expertise across cancer disciplines in medicine, surgery, radiation oncology, pathology and radiology.
Dr. Kollmorgen tells us, “This national award reflects not only our dedication to providing quality healthcare to our patients but also to the time, effort, technology and coordination required to treat these unusual and complex tumors.”
