May 8, 2014 — Elekta has established a Center of Excellence program that seeks the collaboration of its clinical customers in the development of high-quality research, education and outreach to advance the treatment of cancer and brain disorders. Long-time Elekta solutions user, Kettering Medical Center (Kettering, Ohio) has been named the program's first Center of Excellence. The program seeks to provide patients suffering from cancer and brain disorders with extraordinary treatment based on a foundation of collaboration and learning with prestigious institutions and a shared commitment to clinical excellence.
"With its vast array of Elekta cancer management solutions — and more than two decades of history and collaboration with the company — Kettering Medical Center exemplifies the vision of the Center of Excellence program through its activities in its community and region and through its reputation as a world-class provider of clinical services," says Jay Hoey, executive vice president, Elekta North America. "We are proud to designate Kettering as the first such center."
According to Douglas B. Einstein, M.D., Ph.D., medical director and chairman of radiation oncology, Kettering Health Network, Elekta, Kettering and its patients will benefit from the center's participation in the Center of Excellence program. "Together, we have created a center that provides academic-class care and treatments in a setting local to our patient population," he says. "We have every tool we need to treat the most complex cases and know that future evolution will only expand that array of equipment. Even cancer patients far from our hospital will benefit, as Elekta takes much of the experience gained at Kettering and applies it to assist other departments to deliver the same type of care."
Building on its experience in treatment planning, Kettering has become a MOSAIQ Oncology Information System beta site and a Monaco treatment planning system alpha site, both of which allow direct communication between Elekta product management and Kettering's radiation oncology staff.
"This collaboration allows both parties to push forward together," Einstein adds, "With Elekta receiving immediate feedback on any issues, while Kettering receives the latest software and has an impact on desired future developments."
In addition, many of Kettering's radiation oncologists and staff members give presentations at a variety of national meetings.
"We attempt to not only showcase the Elekta hardware and software, but also assist our peers at the same time," he says. "Together we show that any center with the desire to provide high quality treatment can enter into a partnership with Elekta and have the tools to do it."
Kettering's association with Elekta includes its acquisition of linear accelerators it acquired nearly 20 years ago, and — over the years — Elekta treatment planning systems, oncology information systems and brachytherapy systems. Kettering also currently operates Elekta's Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion radiosurgery system and Elekta Synergy radiotherapy system. In 2013, the center became the first U.S. hospital to install and begin using Elekta's state-of-the-art Versa HD radiation therapy system.
For more information: www.elekta.com
May 14, 2024 
