by Mercy's Bethany Pope
Key points:
- Cancer services are now available at Mercy Hospital Lincoln
- The news services are the result of a collaboration between Mercy and Lincoln County Medical Center to improve access to specialty care.
- Nurse practitioner Megan Harman began seeing patients in March and Dr. Syed Arshad will see patients starting in August.
TROY, Mo. – Cancer care is now available in Troy, Missouri, thanks to the collaboration between Mercy and the Lincoln County Medical Center (LCMC) Board of Trustees. The new oncology program at Mercy Hospital Lincoln is designed to bring more services closer to where patients live.
The effort reflects ongoing collaboration between the two organizations with a focus on responding to community needs and improving access to specialized care within Lincoln County.
“Our priority has been to strengthen local access to essential health services,” said Dale McDonald, LCMC board chair. “The addition of cancer services reflects a shared commitment to meeting the needs of our community in a meaningful way.”
The program includes an outpatient oncology clinic, infusion services and pharmacy enhancements to support chemotherapy treatment. Patients are now able to receive care locally five days per week, reducing the need for frequent trips to St. Louis for treatment. While many services will be available in Lincoln County, certain treatments such as radiation oncology will remain centralized.
Nurse practitioner Megan Harman began seeing patients in March, working in coordination with Mercy’s established oncologist programs to create a clear pathway when referrals for specialized services are needed. Mercy oncologist Dr. Syed Arshad will start full-time in August, expanding the program’s capacity and breadth of care.
“This coordinated approach allows patients to receive much of their care close to home while maintaining access to additional expertise when needed,” said Jacob Kliethermes, Mercy Lincoln administrator. “We are taking a phased approach with the rollout to ensure all care has a strong operational foundation.”
Mercy Lincoln’s oncology program is designed with future expansion in mind. As demand grows, Mercy anticipates extending coverage across the region, including opportunities to support patients in Wentzville through shared provider resources over time.
