02.10.2019

Photo: Tonny Foghmar

Texas Medical Center visited Aarhus University Hospital on Wednesday 2 October 2019 to talk about artificial intelligence, precision medicine and particle therapy.

On Wednesday 2 October, the management of the world’s largest hospital community, Texas Medical Center (TMC) visited Aarhus University Hospital. Among other things, TMC consists of 21 hospitals treating a total of approximately 10 million patients annually and comprising e.g. MD Anderson Cancer Center, the world’s largest cancer hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital, the world’s largest pediatric hospital.

- Texas Medical Center is behind some of the world’s most ground-breaking research, new treatments and outstanding treatment outcomes, says Jørgen Schøler Kristensen, Chief Medical Officer at Aarhus University Hospital.

The management of TMC visits Denmark where the president and CEO of TMC William McKeon and the Danish Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke signed a new cooperation agreement, a so-called BioBridge, between Denmark and TMC. This agreement will make it possible for Danish hospitals and researchers to strengthen their collaboration with American partners. After signing of the cooperation agreement, the TMC management headed by president and CEO William McKeon visited Aarhus University Hospital.

At the visit to Aarhus University Hospital, Chief Medical Officer, Jørgen Schøler Kristensen welcomed the guests and there were presentations on artificial intelligence, precision medicine, particle therapy and more.

- TMC is a strong and interesting partner for us because of their extensive knowledge and research capacity. They are also very focused in their work with innovation and advanced use of data, says Jørgen Schøler Kristensen.

Jørgen Schøler Kristensen expects that Aarhus University Hospital can develop a collaboration with the Americans on education and research in particle therapy, but also expand collaboration to include other aspects of cancer care and use of advanced technology.

Aarhus University Hospital has primarily collaborated with the MD Anderson Cancer Center on particle therapy of patients with cancer. Since 2011, Aarhus University Hospital and Rigshospitalet have referred especially children to proton treatment in Texas in close collaboration with doctors at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. As a part of the preparation of the opening of Danish Centre for Particle Therapy, located at Aarhus University Hospital, doctors from the hospital have received training in particle therapy at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Since the opening of the Danish Centre for Particle Therapy in January 2019, all adults referred to particle therapy have been treated here; since August 2019, this has also been the case for children.

Further information: Jørgen Schøler Kristensen, Chief Medical Officer, Tel.: +45 201 63 201