COEUR d'ALENE - Three health care providers in the Inland Northwest are now working together to aid their patients in the fight against cancer.

Kootenai Health, Cancer Care Northwest and Providence Health have officially joined forces as InnerPacific Alliance for Cancer Care, LLC, a team effort that will streamline cancer care, making resources more accessible and consistent while decreasing travel time for patients.

"As you know, cancer care can be very challenging for patients and their families," said Kootenai Health CEO Jon Ness.

"Our goal is to bring together the most state of the art cancer care. By working with Providence and Cancer Care Northwest, we're able to do so," Ness added.

The three providers all shared a desire to form a regional cancer alliance to elevate the quality, coordination and experience for cancer patients and their families. The name is a reflection of that desire.

"The new name expresses the intended purpose of the alliance to provide integrated and comprehensive cancer care for patients in the Inland Northwest, with a full range of treatment options and supportive care to meet the needs of every patient," said Elaine Couture, chief executive of Providence Health Care and member of the InnerPacific Alliance for Cancer Care Executive Board.

The alliance, which has been in the works since 2013 and spans Kootenai and Spokane counties, launched its first initiative Jan. 1. According to Ness, the initiative is a comprehensive radiation oncology program that aims to align all eight radiation therapy centers in the area and have the same medical teams working at every location. All outpatient radiation oncology services for the alliance are now provided by Cancer Care Northwest - patients are able to receive comprehensive, personalized radiation oncology services from a single provider that coordinates services at member locations throughout the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene area. Services are available at Cancer Care Northwest sites at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital in Spokane, Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls and at four Cancer Care Northwest clinics throughout the area.

"So far, so good," Ness said. "We're underway and we believe things are going very well for our patients."

Ness said in the near future, InnerPacific Alliance will be looking at ways to expand clinical research trials for patients as well as increase the availability of surgical oncology in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, which does not exist in those communities at this time.

Ness said the cancer care trio coming together with a common goal is "one of the more innovative approaches in the country."

"What I've enjoyed about it is we have not been able to find other organizations that have done things similar to this," he said. "For patients that have cancer, they don't want their health care organizations competing against each other. They want them working together to provide the best care possible. They want their hospitals and doctors working together, that's the key to this."

As the InnerPacific Alliance for Cancer Care grows, it will use the collaborative model to develop more cancer programs with the goal of enhancing accessibility to high-quality, specialized care.

"Residents of our region should have access to excellent cancer care, with appropriate options, medical expertise, the best technology and caring support, without having to leave the area," Ness said. "We created the alliance to do just that. Patients now have a team of physicians collaborating on their care, greater access to technology and care that is coordinated."

Info: (509) 228-1000 or www.InnerPacificAlliance.org