UAB Health System and Infirmary Health enter partnership to jointly provide comprehensive cancer care

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB Health System and Infirmary Health have entered a relationship to bring collaborative, comprehensive cancer services to patients in southern Alabama, Southeast Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. The result of a multi-year planning effort on behalf of the leadership of the two organizations, this partnership was born with the goal of decreasing the burden of cancer, improving outcomes, and expanding cancer scientific discovery through an increased footprint and resources of both organizations.

“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.”

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.

“At UAB, our mission is to strive to offer NCI-designated level of cancer care to anyone with cancer in the State of Alabama and bordering states, and this new partnership enables us to do just that,” said Barry Sleckman, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Partnering with Infirmary Cancer Care allows us to extend our impact and provide our expertise to a broader patient population and to expand access to cancer clinical trials while allowing patients to remain close to home. Their knowledge of the local healthcare landscape will be invaluable as we jointly serve patients in the region.”

For patients, they will continue to receive care at Infirmary Cancer Care’s five locations in Mobile and Baldwin Counties but will now also have access to the expertise of cancer experts and multidisciplinary teams at UAB, opening the door for expanded treatment options, most notably clinical trials.

While collaborating closely, both organizations will continue to provide clinical services under their existing licenses and legal entities. There is no change in ownership as a result of this partnership.

For both the UAB Health System and the UAB 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.

“Partnering with Infirmary Health in this capacity allows us the ability to extend our impact statewide, which is paramount to our mission here at UAB Medicine,” said Dawn Bulgarella, CEO of the UAB Health System. “We look forward to a prosperous, collaborative partnership with Infirmary Health and together continuing to enhance the level of cancer care that patients have access to in our state.”

“This partnership is monumental for healthcare in Alabama and the cancer patients of our region,” said Furhan Yunus, M.D., Director of Infirmary Cancer Care. “Through our collaboration, Infirmary Cancer Care patients will now have access to more than 200 clinical trials and the resources of a NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center close to home. This will not only improve the outcomes for our patients but also their quality of life during their cancer treatment and beyond.”

About UAB

Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a part of the University of Alabama System, is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center with more than $715 million in annual research funding and an economic impact on the state exceeding $12.1 billion a year. UAB is Alabama’s largest employer, with some 28,000 employees, and was named Forbes’ No. 1 Large Employer in the United States in 2021. UAB enrollment surpassed 21,500 for the fifth consecutive year in fall 2022. The university offers more than 180 degree programs in nine schools and one college. The pillars of UAB’s mission include education, research, innovation and economic development, community engagement and patient care. Learn more at www.uab.edu.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The University of Alabama at Birmingham is one of three doctoral research universities in the University of Alabama System. In your first reference to our institution, please use University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB on subsequent references.

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About UAB Medicine

UAB Medicine comprises the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and the $4.3 billion UAB Health System that includes all of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s patient-care activities and 2,300 licensed beds in six hospitals, one of which is UAB Hospital — the third-largest public hospital in the United States, winner of the Women’s Choice award, and one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals. UAB, a part of the University of Alabama System, is the state of Alabama’s largest single employer and an internationally renowned research university and academic health center; its professional schools and specialty patient-care programs are consistently ranked among the nation’s top 50. UAB is the largest academic medical center in Alabama and one of the top four largest academic medical centers in the United States. UAB’s is advancing innovative discoveries for better health as a three-time recipient of the prestigious Center for Translational Science Award. Find more information at www.uab.edu and www.uabmedicine.org.

About the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center

The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB is among the 51 cancer centers in the nation to meet the stringent criteria for the National Cancer Institute's comprehensive designation. The center is a leader in conducting groundbreaking research, reducing cancer disparities and providing leading-edge patient care. Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a part of the University of Alabama System, is the state of Alabama’s largest employer and an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center with over $600 million in research awards annually; its professional schools and specialty patient-care programs are consistently ranked among the nation’s top 50. Learn more at www.onealcanceruab.org.

About Infirmary Health

Infirmary Health is the largest non-governmental non-profit healthcare system in the stat of Alabama, and comprises three acute care hospitals, one long-term acute care hospital, two post-acute rehabilitation facilities, more than 60 physician practice locations, two freestanding emergency departments and other affiliates. Infirmary Health’s vision is to be the FIRST CHOICE for healthcare in the region. It serves all counties along the Gulf Coast and boasts a 54% healthcare market share across Mobile and Baldwin Counties in Southwest Alabama. The system has been recognized for providing high-quality care by US News & World Report, the Women’s Choice Awards, The Leapfrog Group and by Forbes Magazine and Statista as the best healthcare system employer in Alabama for 2022 and 2023. Infirmary Health offers the most advanced technology, comprehensive treatment and award-winning quality care close to home. Learn more at infirmaryhealth.org.