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Middle Tennessee’s Only Proton Therapy Center Wins National Award For Second Year in a Row

Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville Recognized for Top Performance in Patient Experience

Franklin, Tennessee (November 11, 2021) – Provision’s Culture of CARE is once again garnering national recognition. For the second year in a row, Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville has won the distinguished Press Ganey 2021 Guardian of Excellence Award®. This prestigious honor is based on direct feedback from actual patients, bolstering Provision’s position as a patient-focused cancer treatment center.

Press Ganey recognizes Provision, Middle Tennessee’s only proton therapy center, as a top-performing healthcare organization that has achieved the 95th percentile or above for performance in Patient Experience. The Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award® is a preeminent, competitive achievement for leading healthcare organizations. Presented annually, the award applauds medical providers that consistently sustained performance in the top 5% of all Press Ganey clients. Press Ganey is the healthcare industry leader in measuring and improving delivery of care and Provision will be recognized and distinguished among local area providers and top cancer centers in America.

“This is a wonderful achievement that would not be possible without the tireless effort, dedication, and thoughtful consideration shown to our patients from every team member,” says Elizabeth Vanzo, Director of Patient Experience for Provision CARES Proton Therapy. “Regardless of our job title or role, we believe we are all caregivers who can contribute in a meaningful way to each patient’s outcome. This way of thinking is a significant cultural shift, and it embodies our Culture of Care.”

Vanzo further explained that Press Ganey’s Guardian of Excellence Award® demonstrates that the greater Nashville community can receive top-rated care close to home.

Dr. James Gray, Radiation Oncologist, Medical Director of Provision Nashville, and a partner with Tennessee Oncology, says a positive patient experience is a key factor in the overall success of a patient’s cancer treatment. “It is an honor to receive such high marks from our patients, and a privilege to be part of this distinguished team, that delivers top-level care to our cancer patients and their families every day,” says Dr. Gray. “We care about our patients beyond their treatment and it’s rewarding to know they feel and acknowledge this care.”

As the only cancer treatment center in Middle Tennessee offering proton therapy, Provision Nashville has treated more than 900 cancer patients since opening in October 2018 in Franklin, Tennessee, just 20 miles south of Nashville. Proton therapy is one of the world’s most advanced cancer treatments. It precisely targets the tumor and lowers the risk of damage to nearby healthy tissue and organs, thereby lowering the risk of side effects, complications, and developing another cancer.

Access to proton therapy has grown since first coming to Tennessee in January 2014, from 13 operating centers to 38 operating centers today in the USA. In 2019, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill titled “Proton Therapy Access Act” that expanded coverage of proton therapy to the Tennessee state benefit plan. The law has benefited thousands of Tennesseans since going into effect in 2020.

About Provision CARES Proton Therapy

Provision CARES Proton Therapy has locations in Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn. We are the first and only proton therapy centers in East and Middle Tennessee. Provision provides a unique combination of personalized, comprehensive cancer care for patients, offering proton therapy, one of the most advanced cancer treatments in the world. Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses a single beam of high-energy protons to treat various forms of cancer, treating tumors by directing radiation into the tumor site where doses of radiation destroy cancerous cells. Proton therapy minimizes the risk of short and long-term side effects that can occur when delivering radiation energy to a cancer patient, which can improve a patient’s quality of life during and after treatment.