Cancer center takes full advantage of technology and facility design to increase clinical efficiency
| Outpatient cancer care is among the fastest growing of all health services. As the population ages and imaging, radiation therapy and chemotherapy technologies continue their rapid advance, more and more complex services will be delivered in ambulatory settings. Volumes are projected to grow 30 percent over the next decade, according to healthcare analysts Sg2. These trends create opportunity for enterprising hospitals and physician groups. But downward pressure on reimbursement and rising patient expectations for convenience and comfort will make capitalizing on it a challenge. Outpatient facilities that maximize clinical efficiency and patient comfort, and minimize building, real estate and ongoing facility operating costs are needed to make outpatient cancer care financially sustainable. The free-standing Cancer Care Center of Decatur we developed fully addresses this challenge. Opened in November, this 55,400 square foot center is owned and occupied by the physicians of Cancer Care Specialists of Central Illinois, SC, and houses the outpatient cancer services of Decatur Memorial Hospital. It brings together formerly scattered diagnostic, infusion, outpatient radiation and cancer support services in an attractive building that is both highly efficient and highly attractive to patients. The center takes full advantage of technology and facility design to increase clinical efficiency. For example, the two linear accelerators received software upgrades that cut typical treatment times from 18-20 minutes down to 5-6 minutes, greatly increasing capacity, throughput and potential return on investment. Carefully planned workspaces further increase clinical efficiency by reducing the distances workers travel in daily workflow. Decatur Memorial officials project that they will be able to handle 20 percent more patients without adding staff. High-density blocks were used to build radiation enclosures, eliminating the need to construct a separate poured-concrete enclosure. This reduced the facility's footprint and corresponding real estate costs, and makes the property more flexible since its enclosures can be reconfigured to accommodate future technologies. It also makes a more architecturally pleasing and inviting space for patients, and contributes to clinical efficiency by reducing travel distances. Lillibridge's development and program management expertise also helped make the project financially feasible. From initial studies to ribbon-cutting, Lillibridge chopped 6-12 months off the time typically needed for a project of this complexity. This reduced construction carrying costs and got cash flowing sooner. The center also provides a complete range of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for cancer and blood-related disorders, a CLIA-certified lab, the latest PET/CT and Bone Densitometry services and comfortable private infusion rooms. Preventive services, patient counseling, and support services including stress reduction and counseling are onsite. Cancer patients want one-stop shopping. Physicians and hospitals need to control costs. Patient-centered facilities that take advantage of technical and design advances provide both.
| Tags: Cancer, Cancer |
