The Gila Regional Cancer Center’s entranceJuly 18, 2017 – After a year of unsuccessful negotiations with the New Mexico Cancer Center (NMCC), a Request For Proposal (RFP) process was initiated and the University of New Mexico (UNM) Comprehensive Cancer Center was chosen by the selection committee. An emergency meeting of the GRMC Board of Trustees was held on Monday, July 17, 2017 at 2:30 PM at the Grant Count Commissioner's Meeting room and the final decision was made. The contract was signed and UNM officially became the cancer care provider for the GRMC Cancer Center. The NMCC's last day was Monday and the next steps of the transition have begun.

"We welcome UNM and their expertise to our Cancer Center," said Jeremiah Garcia, Chair of the GRMC Board of Trustees. "They are one of only 47 Cancer Centers that have been designated by the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. I think the quality of the care offered will be top-notch."

GRMC offered to hire on the outgoing NMCC staff as GRMC Employees, many of which accepted the positions and will continue to give the high quality care that patients of the Cancer Center have come to know and trust. Unfortunately some of the outgoing staff chose not to stay with Gila Regional.

"It is unfortunate that not everyone wanted to remain with GRMC," stated Taffy Arias, GRMC's Chief Executive Officer. "We have to move on and keep providing the best and safest care possible for our Cancer patients and for all that use Gila Regional's services."

Gila Regional Medical Center is a county-owned, not-for-profit, 68-bed acute care hospital with a strong commitment to the people they serve. Investments in technology and certified caregivers provide quality care delivery through a patient-centered approach. It is home to the Gila Regional Cancer Center; the Surgical Center of the Southwest and was rated a 4-Star Quality Care Hospital by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.