2007 Cancer Annual_prod5 - St. Joseph Medical Center

A New Day In Cancer Treatment
at St. Joseph Medical Center
One team. One location.
One comprehensive treatment plan.
Building the Vision
The vision of creating a state-of-the-art, patient-centered cancer
care program is quickly becoming reality as the new Cancer
Institute at St. Joseph Medical Center approaches completion
in early 2008.
Although other cancer
programs may claim to
provide patient-centered care,
few can match the meticulous
planning, level of expertise
and investment that have gone into creating the patient’s
optimum experience when facing this formidable disease.
At The Cancer Institute at St. Joseph Medical Center, the world
revolves around the patient. The patient experience begins with
warm, inviting spaces and welcoming, supportive staff. “Our
vision for The Cancer Institute centers around the patients’
needs,” Dr. Mark Krasna, medical director of The Cancer
Institute says, “and it begins with the architectural design.
From the open reception area to the spacious clinical facilities,
the Center creates a welcoming, reassuring first impression.
Even our chemotherapy infusion area – with its own garden
and two-story glass atrium – has an open, pleasant feeling.”
“Not only are the surroundings of the chemotherapy infusion
center beautiful, but the center features infusion chairs
designed specifically for patient comfort. We spent six
months looking at chairs that were available,” Dr. Krasna
says. “None met our needs, so we designed our own. We
hope that our unique St. Joseph’s chair will someday be
in use throughout cancer programs of Catholic Health
Initiatives, our parent organization.”
However, the physical attributes of the new facility are
just the beginning of the patient experience at The Cancer
Institute. Treating cancer successfully requires the very highest
level of expert diagnosis, staging, and treatment planning that
brings all the experts together in consultation, supported
by state-of-the-art technology. The Cancer Institute is where
renowned cancer experts and cutting-edge technologies
meet old-fashioned personal attention under one roof.
Multidisciplinary Treatment Planning
The multidisciplinary care team includes specialists
for each cancer type, experts in radiation, surgery and
chemotherapy, support services, genetics counseling and
a nurse coordinator who plays a crucial and supportive
role in the patient’s experience.
The team approach is implemented through the weekly
multidisciplinary disease site-specific conference. “When
patients leave at the end of this visit to The Cancer Institute,
they will have seen all the specialists at one time,” Dr. Krasna
explains. “The doctors revolve around the patient. The patient
receives a single, customized, comprehensive treatment plan
agreed to by all our experts.
The Cancer Institute at St. Joseph Medical Center uses a
multi-modality approach, customized to each patient, to
deliver state-of-the-art cancer care and to provide patients
with unprecedented access to clinical research.
The Breast Center
The Colorectal Oncology Center
The Gynecologic Oncology Center
The Hodes Comprehensive Liver & Pancreas Center
The Radiation Oncology Center
The Thoracic Oncology Center
The Urologic Oncology Center
2 | ST. JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER sjmcmd.org