ProMedica helps St. Luke’s with new cancer center
ProMedica has opened a cancer center in Maumee to provide oncology and related services on the St. Luke’s Hospital campus, but officials say that’s not a sign of a renewed relationship between the entities separated two years ago by federal order.
First open to patients Monday, ProMedica Maumee Cancer Center offers medical and radiation oncology, as well as dietary and genetic counseling, and social work. Ann Kujawa, vice president of ProMedica Cancer Institute, said the health system looked to expand to previously untapped areas.
“Until we were able to become tenants [at St. Luke’s], we did not have a strong presence in the south region of our community,” she said. The move allows ProMedica to provide “full service cancer care” in Toledo’s southern suburbs. The new center is a department of Toledo Hospital.
The 10,000-square-foot center is at 5805 Monclova Road on the campus of St. Luke’s, which was previously part of the ProMedica system until a forced divestiture by federal court ruling separated them. The Federal Trade Commission determined the merger was anti-competitive and would have increased prices for consumers.
The two have been separate since July 1, 2016. An FTC spokesman had no comment on the new center.
Kujawa said officials are mindful of the divestiture order and the relationship with St. Luke’s is strictly one of tenant and landlord. The St. Luke’s location was desirable because the Maumee hospital performs a lot of cancer surgeries, she said, but any referral decisions would remain between physicians and their patients.
St. Luke’s spokesman Jean Gillen said officials anticipated some questions about ProMedica’s arrival on campus.
“We’re not rejoining ProMedica. They are just offering cancer care on our campus,” she said. Gillen said several providers were interested in the space, previously occupied by Toledo Radiation Oncology and Toledo Clinic Cancer Center, but ProMedica offered the most comprehensive cancer care.
This is the latest cancer-care addition to Toledo’s southern suburbs, joining the Mercy Health Perrysburg Cancer Center on Eckel Junction Road, which opened in November 2016.