Meeting the needs of the patient
Bob Driewer - CEO, Newman Regional Health
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
THE MOST important role in addressing the healthcare needs of the community is to identify the unmet healthcare needs of our citizens and to develop services that meet those needs.
Treating patients diagnosed with cancer who live in our region was the reason for building the cancer treatment facility. Located on Newman Regional Health’s campus, the Central Care Cancer Center, is a state-of-art, comprehensive cancer treatment center combining advanced technology in radiation therapy, chemotherapy and support services.
Before the cancer center was built, patients drove over 100 miles to Topeka for their treatment. The typical number of radiation treatments needed is usually 37-42. This meant our citizens were traveling about 4,000 miles for their treatment. Add to this the time away from work, food and lodging, and securing the services of a friend or family member to drive, and it is easy to understand the burden this placed on someone diagnosed with cancer.
The cancer center is a good example of how cooperative efforts among healthcare providers can benefit the patients we serve. The physical facility is owned by the hospital and is leased to CPT Enterprises. CPT Enterprises operate several cancer treatment centers in the region, including Salina and Newton. The patient referral process is simple and convenient for both the physician and patient. The patient’s medical record is digitally accessible to the physicians in the cancer center and it’s just a short walk down the hall to the patient’s attending physician. All the CT, MRI or diagnostic scans are electronically compatible, allowing Newman Regional Health to electronically transfer the images to the center. By all of us working together, our citizens now have local access to high quality cancer care.
Through this cooperation, the center is being served by highly qualified physicians with outstanding credentials. Dr. Jorge Wong, the radiation oncologist, has extensive academic and clinical experience at several large and renowned university facilities including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard Medical School in Boston, and Baylor Medical School in Texas. He is an active lecturer and is fluent in five languages including Spanish. Dr. Elshami Elamin is the medical oncologist. He is board certified in internal medicine and oncology and completed his residency at New York Methodist Hospital which is affiliated with Cornell Medical Center. He has been a visiting clinician at the Mayo Clinic.
Both physicians have participated in research at various universities and have been published in scientific journals. In addition to these two on site physicians, there are seven other oncologists in their network, providing opportunity for physician consultation and collaboration. In addition to the exceptional staff the cancer center utilizes some of the lastest technology. The Varian Clinac 2100EX linear accelerator provides the latest in three-dimensional conformal therapy and IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy). These powerful cancer-fighting tools allow precise and focused treatment of tumors; treatments which target the tumor while missing the surrounding normal tissue, reducing the side effects and allowing higher curative doses of radiation.
Medical oncology services focus on the administration of chemotherapy using nationally approved protocols. Patients receive chemotherapy through the center.
While the state-of-the-art equipment and distinguished staff credentials speak for themselves, it is the kindness and compassion of all the staff at the cancer center that sets the center apart from others in the region. Cancer patients are often overwhelmed with details and the challenges associated with the disease. Newman Regional Health provides additional support services such as social services, dietary, rehabilitation services, home health care, and physical therapy. Even members of our community are involved in the care through the cancer center. Our local sewing guild makes “chemo caps” which are given away free in our hospital gift shop. Area hairdressers provide classes which help with cosmetic side effects. Various support groups are also available. The Central Care Cancer Center has been operating for more than five years and has provided local cancer radiation treatment to more than 500 patients and chemotherapy to many more. We are proud of the level of cooperation that has been demonstrated by the physicians, CPT Enterprises and Newman Regional Health in the provision of this important service during the last five years and look forward to working together to meet the healthcare needs of the people in the region.