@indyguy
I am not sure who was originator of the term Center of Excellence. It seems subjective to me because no one knows all the great medical institutions that are out there.

There are very big medical centers in every state that have excellent medical diagnosis and treatments. I think the bottom line is that you are being treated by experienced and knowledgeable medical doctors and the institution has the latest diagnosis and treatment equipment and program.

I ended up at UFHPTI and never appears on posters center of excellence list. However it has been treating PC since 2006 with proton radiation. It is one of the most experienced medical institution treating cancers with proton radiation.

Every single state has send or self referral patients to UFHPTI including Mayo Jacksonville as they don't have proton radiation at Mayo Jacksonville (yet new cancer center with proton coming). I believe the number of other countries with patients coming there is well over hundreds. They are very large and have 5 gantries that were recently updated to latest proton radiation equipment. The federal government just chose UFHPTI to receive a 25 million dollar grant to study long term proton and photon radiation treatments.

You will see names like Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins but there are many many more that have excellent medical programs and treatments.