GCWest’s mission, to provide world-class general counsel services to businesses transforming healthcare, has always paired us with innovative entities looking to make significant advancements and contributions. City of Hope, a long-term GCWest client, is one such organization.
Founded in 1913, City of Hope has been providing cutting-edge medical treatment for over a century, and today is a national leader in the field. Samuel H. Golter, an early City of Hope leader, stated that “there is no profit in curing the body if, in the process, we destroy the soul,” a principle which continues to drive the organization’s endeavors.
LEADERSHIP AND GROWTH
City of Hope’s presence in California is extensive, with more than 35 sites across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino, and Ventura counties. 2022 holds great promise, as City of Hope is slated to open its $1B Irvine campus, the Lennar Foundation Cancer Center, a comprehensive cancer research and treatment facility for Orange County.
City of Hope’s innovation has been most notably recognized by its National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. It is one of 52 NCI-designated centers, recognized for excellence in research, treatment, and expertise in fighting the disease at all phases. City of Hope consistently demonstrates higher survival rates and better outcomes versus other healthcare providers due to its continued research and treatment innovations and whole-person approach to care.
City of Hope’s impact will now extend far beyond California with its recent acquisition of Cancer Treatment Centers of America. The combined organization will be one of the largest cancer centers in the nation, serving an estimated 115,000 patients annually.
ACCESSHOPE: GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
City of Hope’s subsidiary, AccessHope, was launched in 2019 to democratize cancer support by remotely exporting renowned expertise from City of Hope and other NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers to U.S. employers, their employees with cancer, and these employees’ local oncologists. AccessHope partners with large employers
– including 17+ Fortune 500 companies – to bring innovative services to cancer patients nationwide, regardless of zip code. The hope is to provide the latest cancer care knowledge and superior outcomes of the National Cancer Institutes to every corner of the country.
A PARTNERSHIP ROOTED IN COMPASSION
GCWest’s relationship with City of Hope stems from a very personal place. Our President, Carrie Fogliani, witnessed the outstanding care provided when her sister underwent cancer treatment & recovery at City of Hope. Witnessing the incredible life-saving treatment and compassionate care, inspired Carrie to seek out the opportunity to serve as City of Hope’s Compliance Officer from 2008-2011. Following that role, Carrie joined GCWest, and City of Hope soon became a valued client and friend.
“Battling cancer takes more than science and innovation. It takes compassion. GCWest understands this mindset and City of Hope’s mission. Our partnership helps us to work at the highest level because GCWest brings the same standard of excellence and passion to the work that we do,” said Abigail Grigsby, Executive Director, Deputy Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer.
GCWest has been providing legal and compliance support via long-term secondments and projects, including serving as an interim Chief Compliance Officer and supporting privacy and revenue cycle compliance, research compliance, and onboarding of acquired entities and subsidiaries. More recently, GCWest has had the unique opportunity of helping City of Hope with the launch and development of AccessHope, its Compliance Program and legal contracting for its Customer and Vendor agreements. GCWest looks forward to supporting the legal needs of City of Hope as it continues to lead the way in cancer care.