December 4, 2024
St. Peter’s Health is pleased to announce the addition of two providers to its Cancer Care team: triple Board Certified Oncologist and Hematologist Dr. Karine Darbinyan, and Oncology and Hematology Nurse Practitioner Jamie Wilcox. Onboarding Dr. Darbinyan and Jamie marks a significant milestone for Cancer Care at St. Peter’s, as the team is now fully staffed with five permanent specialty providers, including Medical Oncologist and Hematologist Dr. Elizabeth Bigger, Oncology and Hematology Nurse Practitioner Melissa Cotner, and Radiation Oncologist Dr. Andrew Cupino.
Dr. Karine Darbinyan joins St. Peter’s as a highly skilled Oncologist and Hematologist. She earned her medical degree from the Russian National Research Medical University. Dr. Darbinyan completed her internal medicine residencies at RNRMU and Jacobi Medical Center in New York, followed by a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Montefiore Medical Center. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, and she brings a wealth of knowledge surrounding lung, head, and neck cancers, as well as supportive cancer care.
Dr. Darbinyan says she’s honored to join a practice that is well-equipped to care for its community, offering best-in-class technology and treatment options. “The team is incredibly collaborative, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive care and personalized treatment plans catered to their unique needs,” said Dr. Darbinyan. “We all share the vision of treating the whole person, including their physical and emotional needs, not just the disease.”
Former Army Nurse Corps officer Jamie Wilcox, DNP, joined St. Peter’s in 2012 as a Cancer Care Oncology Nurse and has served in various capacities over the years, including as a Nurse Navigator and Infusion Nurse. Jamie now joins the team as a Nurse Practitioner specializing in Oncology and Hematology after receiving her Doctor of Nursing Practice-FNP from Montana State University. She also holds a national certification with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and brings extensive experience in oncology nursing.
When asked why she wanted to continue her career at St. Peter’s, she said it is because of her colleagues and patients. “Working in Oncology has been my passion for almost two decades,” said Wilcox. “The prospect of continuing my advanced practice career with the fantastic staff in Cancer Care, and deepening my relationships with our patients, was an opportunity I could not pass on.”
For the past few years, St. Peter’s Cancer Care has contracted with locum tenens physicians while recruitment efforts were underway for additional permanent oncology providers. According to President of the St. Peter’s Health Medical Group and Family Practice Physician Dr. Todd Wampler, these temporary physicians are invaluable in supporting patient care efforts during times of need, such as a position vacancy or extended provider vacation.
“We’d like to extend our appreciation to one locum physician in particular, Dr. Robert Lemon, who has provided excellent care over the last year to many in our community,” said Wampler. “We are deeply grateful for his willingness to contract with us long-term, providing great service and stability for our patients.” With Dr. Lemon’s assistance, his patients will be transitioning under the care of Dr. Darbinyan and Wilcox.
Wampler also highlights the vast expertise St. Peter’s Cancer Care offers in-house as well as through expanded reach through affiliation with the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. One major benefit of the partnership includes how the two organizations collaborate and review patient diagnoses and treatment plans.
“Our patients feel a great sense of comfort and confidence knowing their care teams are working alongside the nation’s best oncology physicians and that they have access to the latest cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials thanks to our affiliation with Huntsman,” said Dr. Wampler. “We have been working tirelessly to build our Cancer Care program and with our team now complete, I’d say the future is brighter than ever. We look forward to serving our community and continuing to provide the care they trust us to deliver.”
Dr. Darbinyan is now accepting new patients.