The FRESHSTART goal is to provide information and strategies to create your plan to quit smoking in a supportive group environment. Four sessions will be taught by a trained facilitator. Session dates include: March 1, March 3, March 8, & March 10. Call 770-979-3705 for more information. Light refreshments will be served. To register go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1365314693
The FRESHSTART goal is to provide information and strategies to create your plan to quit smoking in a supportive group environment. Four sessions will be taught by a trained facilitator. Session dates include: March 1, March 3, March 8, & March 10. Call 770-979-3705 for more information. Light refreshments will be served. To register go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1365314693
The FRESHSTART goal is to provide information and strategies to create your plan to quit smoking in a supportive group environment. Four sessions will be taught by a trained facilitator. Session dates include: March 1, March 3, March 8, & March 10. Call 770-979-3705 for more information. Light refreshments will be served. To register go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1365314693
The FRESHSTART goal is to provide information and strategies to create your plan to quit smoking in a supportive group environment. Four sessions will be taught by a trained facilitator. Session dates include: March 1, March 3, March 8, & March 10. Call 770-979-3705 for more information. Light refreshments will be served. To register go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1365314693
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011 to SUNDAY, May 1, 2011
The weekend includes tours of our newly renovated Decatur Center, Breakfast Lecture with Dr. Frank Critz and Hawaiian Luau featuring authentic Polynesian Dance performances! For a list of all events, dates & times, and to register go to: http://rcog.com/reunion
Atlanta (Feb. 18, 2011) – “You have prostate cancer” – four words a man never wants to hear. On Saturday, March 19, 2011 from 8:30 until 11:00 a.m., attend a free seminar on prostate cancer at the First Baptist Church of Columbus in Fellowship Hall located at 212 12th Street, Columbus, GA 31901 sponsored by Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia. Men who have been diagnosed and asking the question, “What should I do now?” are invited to attend.
Prostate cancer is a serious health concern in Georgia and the leading cause of cancer among Georgia males. More than two million men in the United States have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“It is important for people to know that someone is here to answer questions about prostate cancer and explain the treatment options,” says Mark Merlin, M.D., a radiation oncologist at Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia.
Dr. Merlin will give an informative and interactive presentation followed by a Q&A session. He will explain treatment options and help guide men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer to the next step.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to bring their latest PSA lab and Pathology (Biopsy) reports between 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. to receive a free Individual Cure Rate (ICR) using Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia’s ProstRcision technique and be contacted with results by Dr. Merlin. The seminar begins promptly at 10 a.m. and breakfast will be provided.
To make your reservation for this free seminar visit www.RCCancerCenters.com/Columbus or call Toni Karasik at (770) 682-2099, ext. 168 or email tkarasik@rccancercenters.com.
“IMRT” – Bobby Barnett, Medical Physicist will present information on two forms of external beam irradiation: IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), IGRT (Image-Guided Radiation Therapy) and the equipment’s operation. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit rccancercenters.com.
“Image Guided Radiation Therapy” – Mark L. Merlin, M.D., presents an in-depth explanation of the image-guided treatment setup used in radiation therapy. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit rccancercenters.com.
“Updated Cure Rates” – Frank Critz, M.D., shares the latest information about individual cure rates (ICR) to help men decide which prostate cancer treatment method gives them the best chance of a cure. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit rccancercenters.com.
“Behind the Scenes” – Fred Schnell, M.D., will provide a look behind the scenes of ProstRcision® and the prostate cancer treatment process. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit rccancercenters.com.
“Side Effects” – James Benton, M.D., explains and clarifies the common side effects associated with prostate cancer. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit rccancercenters.com.
“History of ProstRcision” – Frank Critz, M.D., will discuss ProstRcision®, a unique technique for curing prostate cancer that has the industry’s highest documented cure rate of 83 percent. He will shed light on the original procedure and it’s development through the years. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit rccancercenters.com.
“Understanding Your Pathology Report” – Dr. Mark Merlin. Attendees will be shown samples of several pathology reports and Gleason Scores while Dr. Mark Merlin reviews, explains and analysis their findings. The lecture will also touch upon perineural invasion and it’s effects. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320 or go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1499536153.
“Image Guided Radiation Therapy” – Mark L. Merlin, M.D., presents an in-depth explanation of the image-guided treatment setup used in radiation therapy. All Prostate Cancer Lecture Series courses are offered free to the public and begin with a light dinner at 5 p.m. followed by a lecture at 5:30 p.m. Classes are presented at the Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia Auditorium located at 2339 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, GA 30033. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Lecture Series or to RSVP for a specific class, please call 404-633-5606, ext. 320. For more information on Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia and Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, please visit rccancercenters.com.
Local Cancer Care Facility Explains Important Role Medicare Reimbursement Plays in Ensuring Patient Access to Quality, Community-Based Cancer Care
COVINGTON, GA – U.S. Representative Rob Woodall (R-District 7) today toured Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia-Newton County, a local free-standing radiation therapy center offering the latest cancer technologies and therapies, to meet with cancer care specialists, patients and family members and learn more about radiation therapy offerings in the area. Members of the Covington area’s cancer care community discussed the key role community-based radiation therapy centers have in helping win the war on cancer, as well as the importance of a logical, predictable Medicare reimbursement policy to ensure continued access to state-of-the-art, quality cancer care in the community setting.
“I am pleased to have the opportunity to tour Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia-Newton County and meet with some of the constituents and cancer care staff that are providing excellent, first class, care right here in our district,” said Representative Woodall. “It is wonderful to see this high level of care being delivered in our local community, especially in an area of health care such as this that is constantly evolving with new technologies.”
“We applaud Representative Woodall’s commitment to serving our area’s residents and are honored to welcome him to our facility today to meet with our patients and dedicated care giving staff,” said Dr. Frederick Schnell, Medical Director of Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia – Newton County Radiation Therapy Center. “We are proud to demonstrate the quality care we provide and thank Representative Woodall for his efforts to ensure that Covington-area patients are able to continue receiving quality, state of the art cancer care right here in our community.”
In addition to showcasing the latest techniques and innovations in radiation therapy,
Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia-Newton County’s physician and staff expressed the need for stable, predictable payments in order to ensure that cancer patients can access the full care and medicines recommended by their doctors. In recent years, Medicare payments have been subject to numerous proposed payment reductions, on top of previously enacted federal Medicare cuts for all physician services. Members of the local cancer care community warn that deep additional cuts to radiation therapy services threaten patients’ access to life-saving cancer care. Additional payment reductions could potentially lead to forced facility closures and limited patient access to cutting-edge technologies, which could then result in worsened health outcomes.
Radiation therapy has saved thousands of lives across our country and is helping Americans win the war on cancer as one of the three most commonly used cancer treatments along with surgery and chemotherapy. Today, approximately 50 to 60 percent of cancer patients are treated with radiation at some time during their course of care, and this critical therapy applied through the latest advanced technology is greatly improving patient outcomes.
Further, freestanding cancer centers are often located in underserved and critical access areas, providing patients with a point of care close to home that allows them to remain active in their communities and even keep working as they undergo treatment.
Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia-Newton County provides more than 6,700 treatments annually, and last year delivered care to approximately 255 new patients diagnosed with prostate, breast and lung cancers and other life-threatening diseases. The center offers patients a variety of non-invasive radiation therapy services, with minimal side effects.
Manhattan Beach, CA and Atlanta, GA February 1, 2011– Physician Oncology Services, LP (“POSI”), and Vantage Oncology (“Vantage”), today announced that they will merge to create one of the nation’s preeminent networks of outpatient radiation oncology centers of excellence. The combined company will be named Vantage Oncology, and is backed by the financial commitment of Oak Hill Capital Partners (“Oak Hill Capital”), a private equity firm and longstanding investor in the healthcare sector. POSI has been a portfolio company of Oak Hill Capital since January 2007. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
This business combination brings together two highly complementary organizations, expected to benefit from capabilities and opportunities on a larger scale than would have been possible for either company on a stand-alone basis. Together, they will have a significantly broader geographic footprint, increased operational and financial resources and decades of business management experience. They will share a distinguished network of expert physicians and state-of-the-art treatment offerings with a goal of expansion and continuity of exceptional cancer care.
The combined company will operate 40 radiation oncology centers in 13 states nationwide, providing critical oncology services to more than 1,000 patients per day. Michael Fiore will lead the new company as CEO, based in Manhattan Beach, Calif., and will be joined by an experienced team of continuing managers from Vantage and POSI. Don Holton will sit on the board of the combined entities. The transaction will not impact day-to-day operations of the facilities within the current Vantage and POSI networks.
“The new Vantage will provide a platform to expand and more easily share best practices among our physicians and the most advanced life-saving technologies across an expanded network of centers. Our centers will have access to increased resources that will help ensure their ability to continue their focus on achieving superior clinical outcomes and providing patients with the highest standard of care. I am confident that our combination will be seamless and the integration of our two companies will be successful because we have similar technologies and treatment approaches, compatible information systems, first-rate physicians and staff, and a common ‘patients-first’ culture,” said Michael Fiore, CEO and co-founder of Vantage.
“Patients at our centers will benefit from this merger through shared technological and clinical expertise and a commitment to innovation and best practices for effective treatment. Our physicians will benefit from being part of a larger, stronger organization that will offer additional opportunities for growth and collaboration,” said Don Holton, CEO of POSI.
The new Vantage network will include more than 80 oncologists as physician partners and treating physicians.
“Both POSI and Vantage are 100 percent focused on achieving the best patient outcomes. This merger will help facilitate our development of multi-specialty oncology networks in many of our markets. I look forward to the opportunities that this merger will bring to further enhance our ability to treat our patients as effectively and compassionately as possible,” said Leslie Botnick, M.D., chief medical officer of Vantage.
“Quality assurance and ongoing training for our medical staff will remain a priority at the combined company. This commitment is reinforced as we extend our services to more patients in more states,” said Frank Critz, M.D., head of Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, the largest physician partner within POSI, and Chief Medical Director of POSI.
The investor group that funded Vantage Oncology will join with Oak Hill Capital as investors in the new Vantage.
“We believe the new Vantage is well-positioned to grow organically through new center development and partnerships, as well as through acquisitions of other premier treatment centers. I look forward to working closely with Mike Fiore as CEO of the new Vantage, and with Don Holton and the rest of the management team, which includes experienced leaders from both Vantage and POSI,” said Charles Patton, partner at Oak Hill Capital.
“Speaking on behalf of all the Vantage investors, we are pleased to continue our long partnership with Vantage and are excited about the opportunity for growth this transaction presents,” said Chip Linehan, Special Partner at New Enterprise Associates.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. acted as financial advisor to Vantage. Pepper Hamilton LLP served as legal counsel on the transaction to Vantage, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to POSI. Financing for the transaction was arranged and underwritten by affiliates of Jeffries Finance LLC and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.
About Vantage Oncology
Founded in October 2002, Vantage Oncology acquires, joint ventures, develops and operates radiation oncology centers of excellence. The Company was created in response to the growing need among cancer patients, hospitals and physicians for accessible and advanced radiation treatment therapies. Recent developments at Vantage include the establishment of multi-specialty oncology care organizations (OCO’s), bringing together radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and surgical specialties in combination with a radiation oncology center of excellence. Vantage is led by a seasoned management team, including co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Michael Fiore, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Leslie Botnick, M.D., Chief Financial Officer Marshal Salomon, Division President Mark Shalvarjian, Chief Development Officer Mark Ahern and Chief Technology Officer Christopher Rose, M.D. For more information about Vantage, visit http://www.vantageoncology.com/.
About Physicians Oncology Services
Physician Oncology Services (POSI) is a portfolio company of Oak Hill Capital Partners. Its primary operation is Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia (previously known as Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia), which was founded in 1984 and has earned a reputation for being one of the country’s top cancer treatment and research facilities because of its commitment to quality, use of the latest radiation technology and focus on research that enables it to treat men and women with different types of cancer, including breast, prostate, lung, colon, lymphatic and others. Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia has treated more than 13,000 men for prostate cancer and has compiled its observations of these men, both before and after treatment, into one of the largest computerized databases on prostate cancer in the United States. For more information, visit www.rccancercenters.com.
About Oak Hill Capital Partners
Oak Hill Capital Partners is a private equity firm with more than $8.2 billion of committed capital from leading entrepreneurs, endowments, foundations, corporations, pension funds and global financial institutions. Robert M. Bass is the lead investor. Over a period of more than 24 years, the professionals at Oak Hill Capital Partners and its predecessors have invested in more than 60 significant private equity transactions. Oak Hill Capital Partners is one of several Oak Hill partnerships, each of which has a dedicated and independent management team. These Oak Hill partnerships comprise over $30 billion of investment capital across multiple asset classes. For more information about Oak Hill Capital Partners, please visit www.oakhillcapital.com.
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Media Contacts:
For Vantage Oncology:
Trace Longo
Tel: (949) 364-2821
trace.longo@sbcglobal.net
For Physician Oncology Services:
Shelly Glenn
Tel: (770) 391-4315
sglenn@rccancercenters.com
For Oak Hill Capital Partners:
Lin-Hua Wu/Sofia Mata-Leclerc
Tel: (415) 391-4665
lin-wu@kekst.com
sofia-mata@kekst.com
Atlanta (Jan. 31, 2011) – For those looking for a meaningful commitment on Valentine’s Day, Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia along with the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition, Atlanta Hawks, KISS 104.1, Atlanta Thrashers, WSB Radio, UPS, C.R. Bard, WXIA Television and Morehouse School of Medicine have issued a challenge to have 10,000 men in Georgia pledge to engage in a conversation with their doctors and/or get screened for prostate cancer between now and April 30, 2011.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common non-skin cancers in America. It affects 1 in 6 men and accounts for 28 percent of all new cancer cases among Georgia males each year. Getting a loved one tested may be the greatest gift of all this Valentine’s Day.
“Early detection is the greatest preventative measure a person can take,” says Dr. Mark Merlin radiation oncologist at Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia. More than 2 million men in the U.S. have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point and are still alive today, according to the American Cancer Society.
“It is crucial for men to maintain an ongoing relationship with their healthcare provider as the risk for prostate cancer will vary from person to person,” says Dr. Philip Shrake, radiation oncologist at Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia.
Show romance and affection a little differently this year and encourage the one you love to get a prostate cancer screening and start the dialogue with their doctor this Valentine’s Day.
Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia has partnered with the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers, UPS, CR Bard, WXIA Television, Morehouse School of Medicine, KISS 104.1 Radio and WSB Radio to support the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition in an effort to better educate men about their health choices and raise awareness about prostate cancer in the state of Georgia.
The prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening is a simple blood test that Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia is encouraging you to do for your love. Do it for each other.
To take the pledge or learn more about the Georgia Pledge Campaign, visit www.GeorgiaProstateCancerPledge.com.
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