LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Lafayette Cancer Care physician, Ajita Narayan, MD, PhD, has recently received board certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine with subspecialty certification in Medical Oncology and Hematology.

Ajita Narayan, MD, PhD

The American Board of Internal Medicine certification recognizes clinical competence at a level above that required for licensure. Those physicians who successfully complete the requirements and pass the board examinations have documented their commitment to the highest level of professionalism in patient care.

Board certification is the industry benchmark by which physician quality is measured and recognized. Board certification requires that physicians demonstrate the currency of their knowledge -– and their ability to use it -– by passing a rigorous and challenging examination and by assessing their knowledge and performance in practice on an ongoing basis.

Dr. Narayan joined Lafayette Cancer Care in September 2009. She obtained her medical degree from Goa Medical College in Bambolim, Goa, India and then pursued a PhD in biochemistry at Tulane University Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Following that, she finished a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She then completed a residency in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital, Chesterfield, Missouri and a fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Ohio.

Lafayette Cancer Care is a Unity Healthcare Partner and a partner of the Unity Cancer Center. LCC is located at 1345 Unity Place, Suite 135 in the Unity Medical Pavilion. This partnership offers patients access to experienced and respected physicians, radiologists and surgeons, a skilled and caring nursing staff and the most current protocols for cancer diagnosis, treatment and care.

Patients have access to a full range of diagnosis and treatment services, including surgery, mammography, imaging, radiation, chemotherapy, laboratory testing, clinical trials and support services. Specialized services at Lafayette Cancer Care include treatment of adults with many cancer types to include colon and rectum, breast, prostate, brain, head and neck, melanoma and lung cancers. Lafayette Cancer Care also treats a variety of blood conditions.

For appointments, call Lafayette Cancer Care at 765-446-5050.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The St. Elizabeth Breast Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in breast imaging as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The accreditation designates the center as a “Breast Imaging Center of Excellence” in the fields of mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy.

American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Center of Excellence

The Breast Imaging Center of Excellence designation is administered by the ACR’s Commission on Quality and Safety and the Commission on Breast Imaging, and recognizes a center’s dedication to improving women’s health by participating in these rigorous quality assurance programs.

The ACR, headquartered in Reston, Va., awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. They assess the qualifications of the personnel and adequacy of facility equipment. The surveyors report their findings to the ACR’s Committee on Accreditation, which then provides the practice with a comprehensive report.

The St. Elizabeth Breast Center’s Diagnostic Center is located in the Unity Medical Pavilion, 1345 Unity Place, Suite 220 in Lafayette. The St. Elizabeth Breast Center’s Screening Center is currently located in the Medical Arts Building, 404 N. 26th St., Suite 304 on the campus of Home Hospital.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — AAF–North Central Indiana (AAF_NCI), a Greater Lafayette organization of marketing and advertising professionals, presents their annual Diversity Breakfast on Thursday, July 23th from 7:30a–9:00a.

The topic is “Understanding the Latino Population in Greater Lafayette” and the guest speaker is Maricela Alvarado, Director of the Latino Cultural Center at Purdue University.

Maricela Alvarado

Maricela Alvarado is the first Latino Cultural Center director. Alvarado started her position at Purdue University in March 2004. She received a Master of Education degree at the University of Florida and two Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Spanish at Washington State University. Alvarado is the daughter of Mexican migrants, who have worked in many agricultural camps throughout the U.S.

There is no cost to attend this presentation sponsored by Unity Healthcare. Please RSVP to Kristy Blair by Monday, July 20, 2009 via e-mail (kristy@idc-marketing.com) or call 765-423-5469.

AAF-NCI is a non-profit organization and a member of the American Advertising Federation. AAF-NCI has been recognized as the National Club of the Year in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — St. Elizabeth Regional Health and Unity Healthcare will be hosting the 2nd Annual Ultimate Pink Party (formerly Celebration of Women) on October 9, 2009 at the Holiday Inn City Centre in Lafayette, Indiana from 5:00-11:00pm.

The event will include a plated dinner, spa service, Vera Bradley gift, entertainment from Purduettes and Golden Steps, shopping, silent auction and access to the chocolate extravaganza at 10pm. Educational topics will provided by the Spirit of Women, and demonstrations will be provided by vendors throughout the evening.

This fund raiser benefits the YWCA Women’s Cancer Program. The YWCA Women’s Cancer Program strives to eliminate inequities in health care experienced by many women by removing barriers to access and promoting effective community-based outreach, education, and referrals to appropriate clinical services.

The Women’s Cancer Program provides low-cost or free screenings for breast and cervical cancers, including mammograms, breast ultrasounds, biopsies, Pap tests, pelvic exams, and colposcopies. The program serves women in Tippecanoe County and 22 other Indiana counties: Benton, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Fountain, Greene, Hamilton, Howard, Jasper, Miami, Montgomery, Newton, Parke, Pulaski, Sullivan, Tipton, Vermilion, Vigo, Warren and White.

225 individuals consisting mostly of women from Tippecanoe and the surrounding counties are expected to attend. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased by stopping by or calling the Kathryn Weil Center at 765.449.5133. Must be 18 to attend.

Vendors and Sponsorship Opportunities

Organizers are currently accepting applications for vendor sponsorships and selling tickets for the event. For more information about how to be a vendor sponsor visit www.ultimatepinkparty.com or call Michelle Kreinbrook at 765.446.5228 or email mkreinbrook@unityhc.com.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The management team and physicians of Lafayette, Ind. based Unity Healthcare have voted to terminate their contract with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield effective January 1, 2010. The decision was in response to Anthem’s proposal that includes significant cuts to reimbursement rates to Unity Healthcare providers. Approximately 60,000 Greater Lafayette residents will be affected by this change.

Unity says that in an environment of physician and nurse shortages, reimbursement rates are key to establishing and maintaining a high quality healthcare system.

“Decreasing reimbursement rates will have a direct, negative effect on our ability to invest in quality physicians, staff, new technologies and infrastructure,” said Gary Prah, M.D., President of Unity Healthcare. “Anthem’s proposal, combined with our region’s current physician shortage, may force patients to pay out-of-network penalties, wait longer to see a physician and increase the likelihood of out-of-town travel for treatments and procedures currently available at our facilities.”

Unity Healthcare leaders will continue to meet with Anthem in hopes that an agreement can be reached. In the interim, Unity is encouraging patients with Anthem coverage to learn more about the issues at unityhc.com/anthem and familiarize themselves with alternate insurance providers including Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealthcare.

About Unity Healthcare:
Unity Healthcare is a medical network with over 75 general and specialty physicians serving Lafayette, Indiana and surrounding communities. Unity provides care for more than 200,000 patients per year and employs over 575 healthcare professionals. Unity Healthcare physicians provide an array of medical services with specialists in allergy and asthma, anesthesiology, gastroenterology, general and trauma surgery, immediate care, obstetrics and gynecology, occupational medicine, ophthalmology, oncology, orthopaedics, orthopedic spinal surgery, otolaryngology, neurology, pain management, pediatrics, phlebology, physical and occupational therapy, plastic surgery, podiatry, primary care, psychology, radiology, radiation oncology, urology, and many others.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Unity Healthcare Board of Directors announced today (1/6) the appointments of Michelle Troyer to Chief Financial Officer and Krista Jessee to Director of Finance.

Michelle Troyer

Michelle Troyer earned her bachelor’s degree at Purdue University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Indiana CPA Society, Medical Group Management Association and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. She has more than 19 years accounting experience and joined the Unity team in 2003.

Krista Jessee also earned her bachelor’s degree at Purdue University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Indiana CPA Society. She has over 20 years accounting experience and joined the Unity team in 2004.

About Unity Healthcare:
Unity Healthcare is a medical network with more than 75 general and specialty physicians operating from Unity’s state-of-the-art medical facility in Lafayette, Indiana and surrounding communities and provides care for more than 200,000 patients per year.

Unity Healthcare physicians provide an array of medical services with specialists in allergy and asthma, anesthesiology, gastroenterology, general and trauma surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, occupational medicine, ophthalmology, oncology, orthopaedics, orthopedic spinal surgery, otolaryngology, neurology, pain management, pediatrics, physical therapy, plastic surgery, podiatry, primary care, psychology, radiology, radiation oncology, urology, venous medicine services, and many others.