Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute Becomes First Health System in the Nation Designated as MSK Care Partner

HARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first healthcare system in the U.S to be designated as a Care Partner of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK Care Partner). 

This designation follows a rigorous review process by MSK to ensure that oncology care across the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute meets MSK Standards of Care^™.

This achievement builds upon a decade-long collaboration that began when Hartford HealthCare became the first member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance. 

The first Hartford HealthCare location to complete this process and fully align with MSK Standards of Care^™ was in Fairfield Region, paving the way for system-wide adoption. 

"This marks a defining moment for cancer care in Connecticut," said Jeffrey A. Flaks, President and CEO of Hartford HealthCare. "By expanding this partnership, we are removing barriers to innovation, bringing cutting-edge therapies, advanced clinical trials, and leading-edge research directly to patients across our entire system. It's a powerful step forward in our commitment to deliver truly world-class cancer care, right where our patients live."

MSK Care Partners are healthcare organizations that commit to meeting MSK Standards of Care^™, ensuring patients receive the highest quality cancer care in their communities. MSK is an NCI (National Cancer Institute) designated cancer center with access to the most clinical trials, now available to patients through Hartford HealthCare's Cancer Institute relationship with MSK.

"We are so pleased with Hartford HealthCare's ongoing adoption of MSK's globally recognized care standards, clinical pathways, and expertise," said Shelly Anderson, MPM, Hospital President of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "As the first MSK Care Partner, Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute proven commitment to advancing MSK-level cancer care will have significant impact on patients and their families throughout Connecticut." 

Patients at Hartford HealthCare's Cancer Institute will now benefit from: 

• Sub-specialty oncology care modeled after MSK. Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute follows a sub-specialty model, ensuring oncologists focus on specific cancer types. MSK supports this structure by dedicating sub-specialty oncologists across major cancer types to collaborate with Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute clinicians, ensuring rapid access to MSK expertise. 
  
  
• Increasing access to the latest clinical trials. In the future, patients will have more access to MSK clinical trials while remaining under the care of their Hartford HealthCare physicians. 
  
  
• Integration of tumor boards for complex cases. The most complex cancer cases are reviewed by multidisciplinary teams in conferences known as tumor boards. Through MSK Care Partners, Hartford HealthCare and MSK will develop new models to connect their tumor boards, enabling cross-institutional expert review from specialists in surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and other disciplines. 
  
  
• Rapid adoption of leading-edge treatments. This relationship accelerates the adoption of the latest and most effective standards of care in the community setting and expands access to MSK's cutting-edge research program. "MSK Care Partners is about accelerating patient access to breakthroughs that save lives and improve quality of life," said Peter Yu, MD, Physician-in-Chief of Hartford HealthCare. "This relationship promotes seamless collaboration between physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals through education, research, and patient-centered care." 
  
  
• Enhancement in quality of care through aligned clinical practice. Since the launch of the original Alliance, Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute has implemented improvements in cancer care by aligning clinical practice with MSK's standards. As the relationship evolves into MSK Care Partners, the emphasis expands beyond process alignment to what matters most to patients; restoration of health is the outcome that matters. The goal is to ensure that patients and families have confidence that cancer care at Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute leads to the same level of health outcomes as MSK. 
  
  
• Leadership in clinical trial innovation. MSK is pioneering the cancer clinical trials to improve access and reduce barriers, allowing more patients to participate locally within their own communities. This work is shared with Hartford HealthCare as part of MSK Care Partner relationship.
  
  
• A shared commitment to improving patient care. At the heart of the MSK Care Partner relationship is to enhance the care of every patient across the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute through collaboration, shared learning, and seamless access to MSK expertise. 
  
  
• Adopting a world-class standard of care. Through knowledge-sharing, care delivery guidance, access to forthcoming clinical trials, education, and collaboration with world-renowned cancer specialists, Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute has adopted the MSK Standards of Care^™ in its oncology practice. 
  
  
• Collaboration with MSK physicians. Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute physicians will have enhanced opportunities to collaborate and consult with MSK's highly specialized experts. 

**Manchester and Rockville locations are not yet included in this designation. 

About Hartford HealthCare
With 48,000 dedicated colleagues and a bold vision for the future, Hartford HealthCare is transforming healthcare across Connecticut and beyond—enhancing access, affordability, health equity, and excellence. Spanning 500 locations across 185 towns and cities, our comprehensive care-delivery system is built to serve every community, every day.
From world-class hospitals—including two tertiary-level teaching hospitals, an acute-care community teaching hospital, an acute-care hospital and trauma center, and three community hospitals—to an expansive network of behavioral health services, multispecialty physician groups, urgent and virtual care, surgery centers, home care, senior care, rehabilitation, and mobile neighborhood health programs, Hartford HealthCare is there when and where it matters most.
We touch the lives of nearly 28,000 people every single day, delivering unparalleled care through our unique Institute Model—bringing together leading experts in neuroscience, cancer, digestive health, heart and vascular care, orthopedics, and urology & kidney health to provide a unified, high standard of care at the most affordable cost.
Recognized nationally for patient safety and clinical excellence, Hartford HealthCare boasts Leapfrog A-ratings across all our hospitals—making us one of the safest healthcare systems in the country.
Join us on our journey to reimagine healthcare. Visit www.HartfordHealthCare.org and stay connected through our newsletters and social media.

About Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK): The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe. One of the world's most respected comprehensive centers devoted exclusively to cancer, we have been recognized as one of the top two cancer hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years. www.mskcc.org

SOURCE Hartford HealthCare