Letter to the Editor

Doctor thanks physicians, patients

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

To the Editor:

I want to take this opportunity to thank the local physicians, residents and family members for entrusting us with the care of your cancer patients at Putnam County Hospital.

We are proud to have partnered with the Putnam County Hospital Cancer Center for the last 24 years, providing state-of-the-art cancer care and programming to the residents of Putnam County.

As a physician who practices oncology in both rural and metropolitan Indiana, be assured you have what I consider to be a great cancer program at Putnam County Hospital.

Together, we have put systems and processes into place that exist 365 days a year for cancer patients.

Your oncology nurses are nationally certified by the Oncology Nursing Society and attend continuing education conferences sponsored by Indiana Community Cancer Care.

The participation of physicians and colleagues in tumor board and cancer committee is vital in helping us stay abreast of the latest treatments in cancer care.

Meeting these high standards help assure patients are receiving the same quality of care at your local hospital that patients come to expect at large clinics and universities in urban areas.

Putnam County Hospital is also accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer -- a gold standard in cancer care.

Of the 166 hospitals in Indiana, Putnam County Hospital is one of only 47 to hold this prestigious accreditation.

Indiana Community Cancer Care is a healthcare organization that has been partnering with hospitals to provide cancer care and programming in rural and under-served Indiana communities for over 25 years.

I am proud to practice at Putnam County Hospital, and we are very proud of our partnership with them, which enables the patients of Putnam County to receive their cancer care and treatment close to home.

We appreciate the opportunity to continue to work together with you in the care of all cancer patients.

William Dugan, Jr., MD

Medical Director, Putnam County Hospital Cancer Center

Co-founder and President, Indiana Community Cancer Care

Assistant Clinical Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine