Melanoma Hope Network's

"Melanoma Centers of Excellence"

The "MHN Melanoma Centers of Excellence" initiative is underway.  MHN will identify melanoma treatment centers and doctors across the United States, both academic and community-based, that offer exceptional care, knowledge and compassion to those patients diagnosed with advanced melanoma.  MHN will identify prospective centers and accept applications from these centers.  Our medical advisory board will review all applications and award the Melanoma Center of Excellence accreditation or will notify the center as to what improvements would be needed to receive recognition and listing.  Centers would receive a plaque; be listed on the MHN website; be mentioned in any local, regional or national media information about the Melanoma Centers of Excellence; have their center-specific trials listed in the MHN melanoma specific trialfinder database; and have access to the MHN website, trial database and MHN literature for patient and family support.  There is NO COST for a center or doctor to apply.  We hope to create the most complete listing of centers / doctors who treat all stages of melanoma in the country

The Requirements to be considered for a "MHN Melanoma Center of Excellence" are as follows:

1. Center must have the ability to treat ALL stages of melanoma among cooperating clinicians (Stage I thru IV).
2. Center must have the equivalent of 0.5 FTE (full time employed) physician doing melanoma treatment (ie. one doctor with 50% of caseload being melanoma, two doctors with 25% of caseload being melanoma, three doctors with 15-20% of caseload being melanoma,...).
3. Center must have multiple disciplines under one roof or working agreements between collaborating groups that provide patient with seamless care in dermatology, surgery (general or surgical oncology), medical oncology, and radiation oncology.
4. Center must have at least two melanoma specific clinical trials actively recruiting.
5. Center should be able to provide a doctor and nurse or office staff person as a MHN contact person / team leader for referrals and other information needs.
6. Center must provide a short paragraph that describes the support services that are available to their patients and their families.  These services may be provided directly by the center or via collaborative arrangements with other support agencies.
7. Center must provide a short paragraph that describes how this center participates in community education efforts either locally or nationally.

If you are interested in applying for accreditation or recommending a center for consideration, please contact kthornberry@melanomahopenetwork.org .