Dr. John Schorge came to Regional One Health with the goal of helping address the health care disparities that plague women in the Mid-South. Four years later, Dr. Schorge and his growing team continue to help patients access minimally invasive surgery, complex care, clinical trials, and more. A chance to make an impact In 2021, Dr. Schorge was serving as chief of Gynecologic Oncology at Tufts Medical Center and associate director for Cancer Operations at Tufts Cancer Center in Massachusetts when he was approached about leading Regional One Health’s OB/GYN service and helping establish cancer care at the hospital in partnership with University of Tennessee Health Science Center. On a personal level, the timing was good: his children were grown and spread across the country at universities in California, Florida, and Washington D.C. Professionally, the opportunity was unmatched. For one thing, he’d be joining a team that shared his dedication to caring for everyone, regardless of their circumstances. “I was on a Zoom call and one of the residents was in tears talking about how committed the department is to caring for this community,” he said. “I was floored by that emotion. I thought, ‘I want to be part of that spirit, that energy, that effort.’” Secondly, the impact he could make was enormous. We know patients deserve the highest level of care, and that’s what we provide for them. “Previously, if a woman had a gynecologic cancer diagnosis and came to Regional One Health, they would have to send her across town and hope her insurance was good enough. If she didn’t have insurance, she might not get care at all,” he said. “I asked, ‘If I just walk in the building, I can make sure that same patient can get treatment?’” “You don’t get that many opportunities in life to have that kind of an impact in a community.” REGIONAL ONE HEALTH FOUNDATION 21
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