CHRISTIANA – ChristianaCare acquired Delaware Clinical & Laboratory Physicians, PA, a leading provider of hematology and pathology medicine services in the state for over 50 years, effective Jan. 11.
The once private practice was divided as a part of the acquisition deal, the terms of which were not disclosed in a January announcement.
Five hematologists – Drs. Frank Beardell, Scott Hall, Michael Lankiewicz, R. Bradley Slease, and Peter Abdelmessieh – along with nurses and staff at the practice joined the health system with the new name ChristianaCare Hematology. Meanwhile, eight pathologists – Drs. Stephen Kramer, Cynthia Flynn, Phoebe Holmes, Mary Iacocca, Ming Zhang, William Kirby, Randi LaPoint, and Thomas Chou – joined with the name ChristianaCare Pathology.
“ChristianaCare and Delaware Clinical & Laboratory Physicians have long shared a deep commitment to serving our patients,” said Dr. Ken Silverstein, chief physician executive of ChristianaCare, in a statement announcing the deal. “This integration will advance our ability to make a positive impact on the health of our patients through the hematology and pathology services we provide. We’re incredibly excited to welcome the caregivers of Delaware Clinical & Laboratory Physicians to ChristianaCare as we join together in service to our community.”
Both the hematology and pathology practices are located in ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, allowing close alignment with a National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program and one of the most advanced cancer centers in the nation. This care includes cancer support services such as nurse navigation, psychological and social services, genetic counseling and nutritional services.
“Our practice is thrilled to join ChristianaCare, which will advance our care coordination and ensure our physicians and team continue to deliver the highest quality hematology services to our patients,” said Dr. Scott Hall, lead physician in the practice, in a statement. “Through a collaborative care-plan approach, our hematologists partner with the patient, their caregiver and referring physicians to ensure constant communication through the patient’s continuum of care. These relationships will be strengthened with our integration with ChristianaCare.”
Hematologists in the practice have expertise in both cancerous and non-cancerous hematologic disorders, including sickle-cell disease and hemophilia. They specialize in patients diagnosed with blood disorders, thrombosis and blood cancers and provide medical oversight of the Bone Marrow Transplant program at ChristianaCare. Patients receive infusion services in the practice office.
For many years, board-certified pathologists in Delaware Clinical & Laboratory Physicians have directed the pathology services at ChristianaCare.
“The pathologists of Delaware Clinical & Laboratory Physicians have always worked closely with and in partnership with ChristianaCare,” said Dr. Mary V. Iacocca, chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at ChristianaCare and a physician in the practice. “Through this integration, we will continue to provide high-quality, reliable, timely pathology services to our patients and to the physicians who care for them.”
The pathologists provide a range of services that include surgical pathology, cytopathology, molecular diagnostics and flow cytometry. All laboratory services are accredited by the College of American Pathologists.
