Our All New Oncology Care Unit

Home-Like Accommodations

Cancer patients and their families rely on the Hospital to serve as a “temporary home.” So, we have designed our new Unit to be just that: a home away from home. Convenience and comfort have been “built in” for patients, families, physicians, nurses, and all others who are part of the caring experience. Relaxing, pleasant earth tones reinforce the home-like atmosphere, and just as you have complete freedom to come and go in your own home, so it is with our Unit. There are 24-hour visiting hours.

Our new Unit is about three times larger than our former unit, which has permitted expanding from 13 private/semi-private rooms to 20 private rooms. Four of the rooms are “positive pressure rooms” that protect patients with depressed immune systems and two of the rooms are lead-lined for patients who have just completed certain types of radiation therapy.

Additional space enables us to care for surgical oncology patients who formerly were cared for on a general surgery unit. These patients and their families will benefit from the centralized, dedicated cancer support and treatment services on our new Unit. Improving both access and privacy, an elevator is exclusively dedicated to taking patients from our Unit to Radiology on the first floor and Radiation Oncology on the lower level.

In addition to the Main Reception Desk, which includes an adjacent area with computerized work stations for physicians, four “satellite” nursing stations are situated among the patient rooms to expedite access and improve communication.

Patient Rooms

Each of the 20 private patient rooms is equipped with a Bose Wave Radio, DVD player, LCD Television, a refrigerator, recliner, and a sleeper sofa for overnight guests. To enhance personalized care, rather than contacting a central number, the bedside Call Button is programmed to contact the cell phone carried by the patient’s Nurse. The bedside computer in the room allows physicians and nurses to review the patient’s record and to update it instantaneously.

Adding to the relaxing ambience of both the patient rooms and the entire Unit is a unique TV system that displays a series of beautiful nature scenes overlayed by classical music. This feature is optional within the patient rooms and will play continuously on a large screen located in the hallway.

For Families and Friends

To make visitation easy and comfortable, special attention has been paid to the needs of family members.

A Family Dining Room includes a kitchen with a sink, microwaves, refrigerator, and a large table where families and patients can enjoy a “home cooked” meal. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon in their “home away from home.” 

Additionally, a Great Room with a fireplace and a large, wall-mounted flat screen television with attached DVD/CD lends itself to casual, relaxed gatherings. Also available in this room for use by families are two computer workstations with internet access. For those with laptops, wireless access is offered throughout the Hospital.

Two Integrated Medicine Rooms allow both patients and families to take advantage of massage, healing touch, and other soothing therapies.

Accreditation

We hold accreditation from the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) and from the Community Cancer Oncology Program (CCOP). We have been the winner of service of excellence awards from the American College of Oncology Surgeons who distinguished us as a comprehensive Community Cancer Center.

Visiting Hours

We offer open visiting hours: 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. One family member is welcome to spend the night in th patient's room.

For more information

The Oncology Care Unit can be found by taking the “C” elevator to the 4^th floor of the Hospital.

Phone: (574) 523-7982
Fax: (574) 523-7885

Please take a minute to browse our Oncology Care Unit photo gallery by clicking on the Photo Gallery box on the top right of this page.

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