In an effort to meet regulatory requirements placed upon Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) as a county owned hospital and the need to continue to provide quality services to Grant County and the neighboring counties, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was initiated for medical and radiation oncology services for the Gila Regional Cancer Center (GRCC).

A team comprised of hospital leadership and Board of Trustee members reviewed proposals, individually scored each submission based on published evaluation criteria and met to review combined score totals.

"We are very pleased to announce a new collaborative partnership with the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center" said Jeremiah Garcia, Chairman- GRMC Board of Trustees. "UNM will bring world-class cancer treatment to our community."

In the past, the New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants (NMOHC) /New Mexico Cancer Center from Albuquerque has been contracted to provide cancer services at the Gila Regional Cancer Center.

"We thank NMOHC for doing a great job and are grateful for the excellent service they have provided our community over the past 20 years," said Alfredo Ontiveros, Interim Chief Executive Officer at GRMC. "We look forward to collaborating with our new providers at the UNM Cancer Center, a nationally recognized comprehensive cancer center whose clinicians and scientists are making important contributions to cancer treatment, diagnosis and prevention. We do not anticipate any interruption of care at the Gila Regional Cancer Center."

Over the last decade, UNM Cancer Center (UNMCC) has evolved from an excellent regional institution into a nationally recognized comprehensive cancer center. In 2005, they first achieved designation from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the leading federal agency for cancer research and training. In 2010, a team of top cancer experts affirmed their national leadership in cancer care and research by competitively renewing this designation. Last year, UNMCC achieved comprehensive designation, the highest federal designation.

They are the only cancer center in New Mexico designated by the NCI and one of just 47 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, which places them among the top three percent of cancer centers in the country. NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers are acclaimed for their scientific excellence, contributions to cancer research, innovative training of the next generation of cancer healthcare and scientific professionals, and delivery of medical advances to patients and their families.

Construction for the GRCC began early 2006 and opened for cancer services in April of 2007.

"Our Cancer Center is such an asset to this community - we are pleased to be able to provide such a specialized service to those we serve so our patients do not have to travel out of town for their cancer care," added Ontiveros.