Roper St. Francis and Hampton Regional Medical Center Announce Cancer Care physician to see patients in Hampton County

Oncology services will provide convenient treatments to cancer patients closer to home
VARNVILLE, SC (May 17, 2014) - An expert cancer care physician from the Charleston area's largest healthcare system will offer exceptional medical oncology services at Hampton Regional Medical Center (HRMC) beginning June 9.

Dr. Steve Akman, medical director of Roper St. Francis Cancer Care who previously served as a cancer biology professor and university faculty member, will see patients every Monday through an innovative partnership with HRMC that allows area residents from Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties to receive high-quality cancer care close to home.

"Roper St. Francis treats more adults with commonly diagnosed cancers than anyone else in the Lowcountry and at a level of excellence comparable to the top facilities in the country," Dr. Akman said. "It is such an honor to serve Hampton County residents and the surrounding communities."

Dave Hamill, CEO of Hampton Regional Medical Center, said Hampton Regional Medical Center and Roper St. Francis have a long-standing affiliation to provide excellent care.

"Our two organizations have looked for new opportunities to broaden our joint services, and we are extremely pleased that Dr. Akman will be treating patients every week at HRMC," Hamill said. "In the past, individuals in our community have had to travel a far distance to receive cancer treatments. Dr. Akman's expertise and presence at HRMC will provide unprecedented levels of convenience and support to local cancer patients."

Dr. Akman became the medical director of Roper St. Francis Cancer Care in February 2013. He previously served as a high-ranking faculty member of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. His tenure as a professor of cancer biology included several appointments and active participation in research studies, and his work appeared in more than 100 publications during his time with the university.

Dr. Akman also served as a staff physician at the prestigious City of Hope Cancer Research and Treatment Center in California for 10 years. His career has included work with the National Cancer Institute as the director of various research projects and grants.

While at Roper St. Francis, Akman has actively explored strategies that provide patients greater access to specialists, treatment, clinical trials and support services.

At Hampton Regional Medical Center, Dr. Akman will offer:

Personalized cancer treatment based on molecular analysis

Chemotherapy infusion

Biological therapy

Clinical trials

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Akman, patients should call 843-606-8250.

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About Hampton Regional Medical Center:
Hampton Regional Medical Center is an award-winning private, not-for-profit hospital located in the majestic Lowcountry of South Carolina. Affiliated with Roper St. Francis, it has been providing services to the region since 1950. The 32-bed hospital is 85,000 SF and has on-site 24-hour emergency care, state-of-the art diagnostic imaging services, laboratory, surgery, and rehabilitation. It is the recipient of the 2012 South Carolina Outstanding Rural Healthcare Organization of the Year.

The hospital campus includes two medical office buildings that house Coastal Plains Physician Associates and Primary Care. The multi-specialty physician group is a not-for-profit organization, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hampton Regional Medical Center. Coastal Plains offers services in primary care medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, cardiology and radiology. Additionally, the hospital works with physician specialists from around the state to provide on-site appointments in neurology, ophthalmology, podiatry and vascular & vein.

For more information about Hampton Regional Medical Center and Coastal Plains, visit: www.hamptonregional.org


About Roper St. Francis:
Roper St. Francis has three flagship hospitals strategically located in key growth areas across the region: Roper Hospital on the Charleston peninsula, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in the West Ashley region and Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital in Mount Pleasant. The system intends to build a fourth flagship hospital in the Carnes Crossroads section of Berkeley County.

Roper St. Francis is one of the Lowcountry's largest private employers with more than 5,200 employees. The healthcare system has a robust, active medical staff of more than 800 doctors representing every medical specialty and provides services in more than 100 locations in seven counties.

In total, Roper St. Francis provides: five full-service Emergency Departments; three helipads, including the region's only hospital-rooftop helipad at the Roper campus; and the regionally renowned inpatient Roper Rehabilitation Hospital. Each of the system's three hospitals includes adjacent medical office buildings, and the Bon Secours St. Francis campus boasts a freestanding comprehensive Cancer Center.

Roper St. Francis is one of two Lowcountry's private, not-for-profit healthcare provider. The 657-bed system comprises more than 90 facilities and services. Learn more at www.rsfh.com.

About Roper St. Francis Cancer Care:
A multidisciplinary treatment paradigm is critical for delivery of highly effective cancer care. At RSF, standardized cancer care is delivered through:

Multidisciplinary tumor conferences for breast cancer, thoracic, urologic, and general oncology (rectal cancer in planning stage) occur weekly with care plan development adhering to evaluation and management guidelines set by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).

A disease-focused care model coordinated by nurse navigators that fosters close, real-time collaboration/coordination between treating specialties.

Monitoring of adherence to national cancer care quality benchmarks by participating in the American College of Surgeons Rapid Quality Reporting System.

In-house tumor gene sequencing, which enables testing of tumor specimens for molecular mutations with marked cost reductions for both testing and treatment.

RSF is a charter member of the Carolinas Healthcare System's Levine Cancer Institute (LCI), which has developed clinical treatment protocols for nearly all cancers weighing comparative effectiveness data in the selection of drugs promoted for use.