Hawthorn Medical Associates Expands Oncology Rehab Services to Cancer Survivors / Earns Star™ Program Certification

DARTMOUTH, Mass., Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawthorn Medical Associates in Dartmouth is pleased to announce today that it has earned STAR Program™ Certification from the Massachusetts-based Oncology Rehab Partners (ORP), leading consultants in the field of survivorship care.

Hawthorn Medical is the first center in New England to offer patients this rehabilitation-based program providing comprehensive care to cancer survivors. This certification uniquely qualifies Hawthorn Medical to offer premium oncology rehabilitation services to survivors who suffer from the debilitating side effects caused by cancer treatments.

"Many cancer patients benefit from supportive multidisciplinary care to reach their maximum level of function and quality of life," said Sherry Spencer-Brown, PT, CLT-LANA, STAR Program Clinician and Liaison. "Now, with our STAR Program Certification, Hawthorn Medical can provide vital comprehensive oncology care from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. We look forward to following the progress of our patients as they work with our skilled clinical staff to improve their health and well-being."

To receive STAR Program Certification, Hawthorn Medical implemented ORP's unparalleled Star Program, an evidence-based model of oncology rehabilitation service delivery, successfully applying the program's evaluation and treatment protocols. These new services are covered by health insurance providers and will be offered to patients by knowledgeable and sensitive physicians and staff who are specially trained to work with survivors of all forms of cancer.

Specialty caregivers from a pool of disciplines, including physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, dietitian, licensed social worker, and others, have completed intensive certification training. They work together with each patient to develop a personalized rehabilitation plan to increase strength and energy, manage pain and improve daily function and quality of life.

STAR Program Certification from Oncology Rehab Partners provides hospitals and cancer centers with the tools to expeditiously develop and deliver quality oncology rehabilitation services, including evidence-based clinical protocols, continuing education on the latest in rehabilitation care for staff, and a specialized survivor guide book to engage patients in their recoveries.

ORP founder and cancer survivor Julie Silver, MD, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, said, "With its STAR Certification, Hawthorn Medical is committed to helping survivors heal from the debilitating side-effects of treatment. Similar to cardiac rehab for people with heart disease, oncology rehab will be the standard of care in all hospitals and centers that treat cancer patients. Offering this program will reduce symptoms like pain, fatigue, weakness, memory loss and depression, and positively impact the lives of survivors and their families. By becoming STAR Program Certified, Hawthorn Medical has made survivorship a distinct and important last step at the end of acute cancer care. In doing so, it has fulfilled its responsibility to provide its cancer patients with the most comprehensive medical care available, and the best possible outcomes for recovery."

SOURCE Hawthorn Medical Associates