Surgical Robotics Technology
Accuray Incorporated announced today that Seth Blacksburg, M.D., MBA has joined the company as vice president, chief medical officer for the Americas (North and South America).
Dr. Blacksburg will be responsible for bringing the strategic clinical insights, real-world experience and voice of the customer necessary to help drive the continued commercial growth of the region. He will report to Mike Leischer, Accuray president and general manager for the Americas region.
“On behalf of Accuray, and particularly the Americas region, I welcome Seth to the team! He has a unique background – combining medicine, business and analytics – that has enabled him to substantially improve the care of his patients while achieving the economic goals of the hospitals at which he has worked,” said Mike Leischer, president and general manager of the Americas region. “Seth’s experience and guidance will help the Americas team to fine-tune our strategic approach and to build and maintain relationships that will ultimately benefit patients. We look forward to partnering with him to expand access to our one-of-a-kind radiation therapy solutions.”
Dr. Blacksburg is a board-certified radiation oncologist who earned a master of business administration degree while concurrently completing his medical studies. He is highly skilled in all facets of radiation oncology, with expertise in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and radiosurgery for prostate cancer, breast cancer, CNS cancers, and other tumor sites, LDR and HDR brachytherapy, and integrating radiation with immunotherapy.
Prior to joining Accuray, Dr. Blacksburg was chairman of radiation medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, a part of Northwell Health, the largest private employer in New York (state). Dr. Blacksburg was responsible for the clinical oversight and strategic development of the department. He also served as a key member of the hospital’s cancer committee, medical board and national accreditation programs for breast and rectal cancers. During Dr. Blacksburg’s tenure with the Lenox Hill cancer program, the cancer program achieved Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation and the department patient volume increased significantly.
A nationally renowned expert on prostate and pelvic malignancies, Dr. Blacksburg was the co-host of a popular regional radio show, “Hanging Out: Men’s Health Radio,” on 710 WOR and iHeart radio. He is also the co-course director and a moderator for the internationally-attended annual SBRT For Prostate Cancer course. Dr. Blacksburg is considered a thought leader in medical informatics for which he was been a reviewer for the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) since 2014.
“During my tenure as an oncologist, I’ve focused on identifying emerging and state-of-the-art radiation therapy technology and techniques and implementing those that advance personalized cancer care into clinical practice. My experience with the Accuray CyberKnife® System – a key example – and the pivotal role I believe it can play within a radiation therapy department are a couple of the reasons I decided to join the company,” said Seth Blacksburg, M.D., MBA, vice president and chief medical officer Americas region at Accuray.
He continued, “I think there are many clinicians who are unaware of the extensive benefits offered by radiation treatments delivered with the CyberKnife or Accuray Radixact® Systems. I’ve loved caring for my patients and will remain an active radiation oncologist. Through this new opportunity with Accuray and the innovative technology they offer, I am grateful for the chance to broaden the impact I can have on patients’ lives.”
Source: Accuray
