BIRTH OF A HEALTHCARE NETWORK
“The pressures that doctors and medical centers are under these days can add to patients’ long wait times and stress during a new cancer diagnosis. Therefore, I collaborate with top hospitals and specialists to help improve the patient’s experience and potentially their health outcomes.”
2012 HAMMERAS GROUP
2022 CANCER TEAMWORK RESPONSE
2023 THE CTR NETWORK
For over three decades, the Hammeras Group, led by Candy Hammeras, has worked with medical professionals, physicians, and hospitals throughout Southern California to improve the patient experience. Building trust within the medical community and through her in-depth knowledge of the healthcare system, Candy developed a network that puts the patient's needs first. With the support of trusted advisors and top medical facilities in Southern California, Cancer Teamwork Response (CTR), a nonprofit, was launched in 2022. CTR was designed to work alongside the Hammeras Group. Together our mission is to improve patient outcomes by connecting the medical community through unique collaborations that work efficiently.
-
Independent Patient Advocacy
Candy Hammeras and Michelle Arroyo function as independent patient advocates, operating independently from any medical facility. In their respective roles, Michelle addresses the distinct requirements of our youth patients, while Candy provides ongoing support to adult patients and establishes relationships within our medical community and beyond. They dedicate themselves to fulfilling our mission, which involves assisting patients in becoming better prepared and prioritizing their needs. The autonomy we maintain allows us to foster collaborations with top experts in the medical field. We have witnessed firsthand the positive outcomes when the healthcare community prioritizes patients' well-being.
PATIENTS FIRST: YOUR PARTNER IN PREPARATION.
-
Navigating Our Healthcare System
Both hospitals and patients greatly benefit when individuals with complex cancer diagnoses come prepared for treatment. When patients are well-prepared, it enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of their care, leading to better outcomes and improved patient experiences. However, we recognize the immense complexity that cancer patients face in terms of their diagnosis and navigating the often overwhelming administrative aspects of the healthcare system.
Understanding these challenges, the Hammeras Group takes an active role in collaborating directly with the medical community. We aim to develop a robust infrastructure that streamlines patient care processes by forging strong partnerships and working closely with healthcare providers. Our goal is to alleviate the burdensome administrative tasks that patients encounter, allowing them to focus on their treatment and overall well-being.
-
CTR NETWORK - A Healthcare Collaborative
CTR Network is a groundbreaking healthcare collaborative born out of the Hammeras Group's decade-long efforts to build strong relationships with esteemed medical professionals across Southern California. These invaluable connections serve as the foundation for our latest venture, aimed at advancing patient care and extending our impact beyond the confines of our network.
At the Hammeras Group, our mission has always been centered around putting patients first and ensuring their needs are met with the utmost dedication and expertise. With the creation of the CTR Network, we take this commitment to an entirely new level. Our primary objective extends beyond serving our patients and working alongside the medical community. We strive to share our wealth of knowledge, experience, and insights, empowering other healthcare providers to enhance patient care and outcomes.
A Healthcare Collaborative
How The CTR Network Works
The Hammeras Group, through its nonprofit, Cancer Teamwork Response (CTR), is proud to have formed a collaborative, the CTR Network, with the top 20 ranked medical centers nationwide and the best in California for cancer patient care.
At the heart of the CTR Network lies our guiding principle: through this unprecedented collaboration, cancer patients will gain unparalleled access to the best possible diagnoses and treatments in a streamlined, time-sensitive manner that prioritizes patients above all else.
The Hammeras Group and CTR thank the visionaries at the participating medical facilities for what we hope will serve as a model for patient-centered cancer care networks nationwide. Let us join forces to ensure that we always put patients first.
Navigating Our Healthcare System Since 2012
Making A Dream Reality
Candy Hammeras has spent 20+ years in hospital management as a patient and physician relations executive. She recognized that unsatisfied patients negatively impact hospital scores, yet she wanted to treat patients and their families as individuals, not just as hospital patients. To address this gap in the healthcare system, Candy left the hospital environment and formed a consulting organization, Hammeras Group, LLC, to focus on improving patient relations in California hospitals. As requests for private patient advocacy increased, Candy also began to assist patients with rare or complex disease diagnoses, most of them cancer. To address the lack of access to specialized care for patients with certain insurance, Candy founded Cancer Teamwork Response. This charity fully funds second opinions and patient advocacy for cancer patients regardless of their ability to pay. Cancer Teamwork Response coordinates care with the top experts efficiently, privately, and quickly and relies on a "pay it forward" approach from patients, families, and community members who want to help other newly diagnosed cancer patients.
Full post available at the CTR “Pay It Foward” blog to read the full post:
PATIENTS
If you or someone you know is facing a cancer diagnosis and needs an advocate, don't hesitate to contact our nonprofit partner, Cancer Teamwork Resonse, for help today. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help.
WALK WITH ME
Songs of Hope With Mike Garson
Walk with Me is an uplifting album co-produced by Mike Garson & Candy Hammeras to ease the journey for cancer patients everywhere. The album premiered in August 2022 at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, available on platforms worldwide.
