History of Hematology-Oncology Associates (HOA)
In 1968, founding member Dr. Armin Rembe started his private practice of internal medicine and hematology/oncology after he completed a fellowship in hematology at the University of New Mexico. He was a Seattle area native and a graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine. He completed his medicine training in Dallas and Boston.
In October of 1976, after completing two years of internal medicine and two years of hematology/oncology fellowship at the University of New Mexico, Dr. Paul Duncan continued his oncology training at the Royal Marsden Cancer Hospital in London. He was a native of both Colorado and Alaska and a graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine. He joined Dr. Rembe's practice in July 1977, and Dr. Julia Pfile joined them in September of 1977 upon completion of her 2nd year of fellowship at the University of Utah. She had completed a medicine residency and one year of hematology/oncology fellowship at the University of New Mexico. She was a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a Colorado native. The new HOA offices opened in the St. Joseph Towers. Dr. Rembe supervised the opening of the new oncology floor at the St. Joseph Medical Center in the spring of 1977.
For the next 7? years HOA remained in the St. Joseph Towers. The group had expanded to four physicians. The cancer program at St. Joseph's Medical Center was growing and attaining regional significance. Dr. Duncan was the medical director of the oncology unit at St. Joseph's and initiated the oncology unit at Presbyterian Hospital as well. Dr. Barbara McAneny was with the group for three years before leaving and joining Dr. Clark Haskins in 1985.
In 1984 the group relocated the HOA office to the newly renovated St. Joseph Square. Jayne's Corporation, following the award winning architectural rendition by Flatow Moore and Bryant, renovated The Square. Suite 305 decorated with our signature historic quilt collection and antique wood furniture became our home for the next 20 years. In these years Dr. Julia Pfile achieved attention as a world-class acrobatic pilot.
In 1992 Dr. Bill Zolin from Peoria, Illinois joined the group and we joined the newly formed St. Joseph Physician's group, Med-Net. Dr. Zolin was a Chicago native who attended the University of Illinois School of Medicine and completed his fellowship at the University of Chicago.
In 1993 Dr. Victor Vigil joined HOA after completing a three-year fellowship at the University of New Mexico. He became the first New Mexico native to join our practice and the first Spanish speaker.
In 1994, Dr. Lorraine Sanchez became our second New Mexico native and Spanish speaker to join our group. She also completed her residency and fellowship at the University of New Mexico.
In December 1997, Dr. Hitendra Rhambia joined our group after completing a bone marrow fellowship at the North Shore Hospital on Long Island. He returned to practice in Brooklyn in late 1999.
In January 1998, Dr. Rembe retired and now runs the spectacular Los Poblanos Inn on north Rio Grande Ave. Dr. Pfile retired in August 1998.
In March 1999, Dr. Malcolm Purdy joined HOA. In July 1999, we left Med-Net and returned to independent group status.
In 2003, Dr. James Lin joined our group after spending 12 years on the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. He left the practice in late 2009.
In 2004 Dr. Zolin retired.
Debra Winkeljohn, RN, MSN, AOCN, CNS joined the group as a Clinical Research Nurse in September 2003 and in September 2006 she received her license as a Certified Nurse Specialist. Since September 2009 she spends the majority of her time seeing patients as a mid-level provider and the remainder managing the research program.
In May 2004, after 20 years in the St. Joseph Square, we moved into the historic Antoine Predock-designed New Mexico Heart Institute building at 1001 Coal Ave. SE. Mario Atencio was the renovation project architect with the Greg Hicks, AIA, firm. The renovation project was carried out by Baker Construction.
In 2005, Drs. Lin, Purdy, Sanchez and Vigil practice general medical hematology/oncology. Dr. Vigil is the HOA president. Dr. Duncan, since 1999, has emphasized Cancer Genetics. He has been instrumental in increasing the awareness among New Mexico physicians of the familial cancer syndromes.
We are all founders and participants in the New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance, which is an organization that brings the community cancer specialists and the University of New Mexico Cancer and Treatment Center specialists together. This is proving to be a very successful model for clinical research.
We take great pride in the announcement on September 29, 2005 by the National Cancer Institute that the University of New Mexico Cancer Research and Treatment Center has been named a National Cancer Institute designated cancer research and treatment center. The commitment of the community physicians to the success of the New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance was instrumental in this achievement.
Our group is known for the compassion we show our patients and our clinical expertise. We have one physician rounding in the hospital each day for a week at a time. Our inpatients are hospitalized at either Albuquerque Regional Medical Center or Presbyterian Medical Center. Clinical research is encouraged and there is ample opportunity to collaborate with our UNM colleagues through the Alliance.
Paul R. Duncan, MD FACP
12/09
