Cancer Care Center Expansion Phase 2 Video Transcript
Jean Heath, RN, BSN, MA: We’re so excited to actually be able to present the new cancer care center to the community. With this new cancer center, we are able to bring all of our services together under one roof. We have our palliative care nurse that is right down the hall, we have our clinical trials coordinator, our tumor registrar and our patient navigator. All of those people play a very important strategic role in how we access and how we administer our cancer treatments here at UVMC.
Dr. Ronald Setzkorn, Radiation Oncologist: There’s been a lot of changes incrementally over the years and I think it’s very important to have something like this in a community. I think part of that is because community itself is important. People that you live with, work with, worship with, shopped with and all those other things come together to take care of one another. Especially at the time when it matters most, when you have cancer. So, what we’re hoping is that everything you see and everything that we do is really consistent with that goal of truly caring for people that you live with and work with.
Jean Heath: One of the goals of the cancer center when a patient comes to us for treatment is to actually have an effect on that patient experience and family. We want to have a positive experience for the patient and so we looked at all of the angles, we took that patient through that journey and tried to see what we could do to totally, externally, from our environment affect that in a positive way. And I think we’ve really accomplished that with our coloring. We use soft earth tone colors, we’ve used the beautiful wood trimming, and the soft tile flooring and the furniture that all kind of sets a tone of warmth and a feeling of comfort. I totally feel that, that’s what a patient really needs when they come into a center, into a cancer center. They already have the fear and anxiety that comes along with that diagnosis and all of the staff here wanted to be able to provide that soft, comforting, warm, inviting area when somebody comes to us.
Sarah Jones, RN, MS: These are a very unique group of patients. They are so appreciative of everything you do. They’ve been given this potentially fatal diagnosis and to be able to spend time with them to reassure them that there is hope, that there are cures and treatments that we can offer our patients. And they are so appreciative, no matter what information, education or services that we can provide for them.
Tracy Cordonnier, RN, BSN, OCN: One of the greatest benefits of the new cancer care center is the patient’s ability to enter on the ground floor. And from the moment they step through the doors at the cancer care center, they can have the best patient and family experience possible, right here close to home at Upper Valley Medical Center.
Jean Heath: When you reach the reception area, you look around and you have a beautiful family waiting area. To the right of that reception area, there’s a beautiful donor wall. The donor wall actually represents all of the people throughout this county, Miami County and the tri-county area who have donated funds to make this cancer center what it is right now. And then after you enter into the John J. Dugan Infusion Center, you’ll be able to see as the doors open, you do have that full breadth of light. And there’s lots of light that comes in from all over, it’s natural lighting. And that totally, can really affect how a patient feels about their treatment.
Tracy Cordonnier: Each of the treatment rooms has an individual space where the patient’s able to watch TV, they can adjust the blinds so there is little light or full light looking out into our beautiful walking garden. The patients also have access to food here and the patient’s loved one can come in and do their paperwork with a nice little tray that they have for that.
Jean Heath: With ten individual bays, each one of those created for that patient experience. From the electric cords that are plugged up high to the automatic blinds. The visual from ceiling to floor glass to look out over a healing garden. We’ve thought of all the things that can really enhance a patient’s experience. The chairs they sit in are heated massage; the sides open up to accommodate patients in wheelchairs and walkers. So, I think we really took that next step in creating an environment, a positive environment for patients going through treatment. It is a journey and I’m just so excited, I’m proud, I’m humbled that we have been able to build a center that will be here forever and it will enhance that experience that patients have in cancer care, for, forever.
Dr. Ronald Setzkorn: The bells and whistles are always fun and interesting and we certainly do have them. But it always comes down to the personal interests of caring for those people that someday will need to care for you and we feel that’s very important. So, thank you so much for being a part of this center and for the last decade of working to get to this point in time.