AccessHope Announces Foundational Partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine to Expand Cancer Expertise Access in Mid-Atlantic Region

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Sep 19, 2023, 09:00 ET

Johns Hopkins Medicine joins five other National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in AccessHope's network
Nationally and internationally recognized oncologists from the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center will provide expert case reviews for AccessHope's employer plan members to optimize access to expertise on targeted and effective cancer treatment
Founded 50 years ago, the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center offers hundreds of clinical trials and a comprehensive set of supportive care resources for patients and caregivers

LOS ANGELES and BALTIMORE , Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AccessHope, LLC, a company changing the way leading-edge cancer expertise is delivered, today announced a new foundational partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine, which will further increase access to oncology expertise and cutting-edge research to optimize cancer treatment plans across the United States through expert case reviews.

"AccessHope is committed to improving cancer care outcomes by connecting members with the latest cancer care knowledge and expertise at every step of their care journey to inform effective treatment plans, no matter where they live," said AccessHope CEO Mark Stadler. "Complex cancer cases often require expertise from subspecialists that are limited to leading academic centers, but many people cannot reasonably travel to these facilities. Collaborating with Johns Hopkins Medicine's Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center will greatly extend our reach and ability to help more people with complex cancer cases access world-renowned expertise that can improve their care journey."

The Kimmel Cancer Center is the sixth collaboration between AccessHope and a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, with other foundational partners including City of Hope, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Emory Healthcare and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and Northwestern Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

"When AccessHope was first conceived, its vision was to enable more cancer patients to connect with leading sub-specialized oncologists to give every cancer patient, regardless of geography, race or socioeconomic status, the best opportunity for survival," said Harlan Levine, M.D., AccessHope chair of the board. "We are honored to have Johns Hopkins Medicine, with its longstanding reputation for elite research and care innovation, join as a foundational partner, and are excited to offer their expertise to our growing employer and payer customer base in furtherance of our vision."

AccessHope remotely connects employer self-funded plans and treating physicians with NCI experts in its partner network to identify effective targeted therapies. One peer-reviewed study found that AccessHope sub-specialists provided evidence-based treatment recommendations in 93% of cases, including significant changes in 28% of cases. These recommendations, if adopted, were associated with clinical outcomes such as improving efficacy, reducing toxicity and enhancing care.

Johns Hopkins Medicine is a nonprofit on a mission to improve the world's health by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. It combines over 125 years of commitment to community care with groundbreaking research, teaching and medical services, and it employs more than 40,000 full-time faculty and staff members.

According to William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, patients diagnosed with cancer need access to teams of specialists working together to create personalized and tailored treatment plans in a caring environment. With AccessHope, Johns Hopkins intends to bring this expertise to more patients in the mid-Atlantic region.

To learn more about AccessHope and its services, visit myaccesshope.org. To learn more about Johns Hopkins Medicine, visit hopkinsmedicine.org.

About AccessHope
AccessHope, LLC, believes in putting the ever-growing body of cancer knowledge to work for the greater good. The company delivers a revolutionary cancer benefit that is changing the way leading-edge expertise is delivered. Through collaborations with City of Hope, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Emory Healthcare and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Northwestern Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, AccessHope shares the latest discoveries in cancer care with employees' plans and local oncologists to help as they develop precise plans for treatment. The company brings the vast expertise of major medical centers to benefit people near and far. They never have to switch doctors. They never have to leave home. It's simply a better approach to cancer. And getting better every day. A subsidiary of City of Hope, a world-renowned independent cancer research and treatment organization, AccessHope offers the benefit to approximately 5 million members through more than 140 employers, including over 35 Fortune 500 companies. For more information about AccessHope, visit myaccesshope.org and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.