Thursday, January 27, 2011
Chemotherapy Treatment Moves Closer To Home With Opening Of New Satellite Service At PRH
PEMBROKE – The Pembroke Regional Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Regional Cancer Program have teamed up to open a Systemic Therapy (Chemotherapy) Satellite Service in Pembroke.
The new service will be operational at the end of February and will involve both chemotherapy and medical day care services for cancer patients such as blood transfusions and pain management. It will be located in an outpatient area close to the diagnostic imaging department.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to provide systemic therapy as one of four satellite clinics of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre,” said Pierre Noel, President and CEO of the Pembroke Regional Hospital. The others are located in Hawkesbury, Renfrew and Winchester.
“Under the leadership of Dr. Joel Ward, we are fortunate to have five physicians providing support on a rotational basis to this clinic which we anticipate will accommodate up to 400 patient visits in its first year,” Mr. Noel said.
Dr. Joan Tyler, Dr. Heather Castillo, Dr. Lomie Coleman, Dr. Sylvie Cantin and Dr. Ward have all helped patients deal with cancer diagnosis and treatment and are excited to be involved in provision of chemotherapy services in our local Hospital.
“Patients will receive the same standard of care they would in Ottawa, without the stress and inconvenience of travelling,” Dr. Ward said.
As a satellite, the Pembroke Regional Hospital will be part of the Regional Systemic Therapy Program led by the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Program.
“In working together, our mutual goal is to provide safe, evidence-based care while ensuring that care for patients is available as close to their home as possible,” said Paula Doering, Vice-President of the Regional Cancer Program at The Ottawa Hospital.
“We are very pleased, that this collaboration with the Pembroke Regional Hospital will allow our regional cancer program to provide better access to the people in Renfrew County,” Ms. Doering said.
Sandra Keon, Vice-President of Patient Services at PRH echos these sentiments and states the commitment of both teams to bringing this service closer to home and to proving excellent care through this satellite arrangement is a remarkable accomplishment.
“Patients from our area will now be able to receive their chemotherapy treatment closer to home and lessen the burden they and their families endure during a very challenging time,” she said.
Patients will be referred to the new clinic by an oncologist in Ottawa, thereby improving accessibility of care and decreasing travel time for patients in our community. In addition, Telemedicine will be used to access oncologists and other professionals from the Regional Cancer Centre.
“PRH has been working closely with The Ottawa Hospital to develop this program including components such as staff training, and the writing of policies and procedures,” Mrs. Keon said.
PRH staff including nurses, physicians, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are being trained by the Regional Cancer Centre to deliver specific types of chemotherapy treatments for various types and stages of cancer.
The clinic will run Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a ramp up of the number of patient visits over the first year.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator
Pembroke Regional Hospital
(613) 732-3675, ext. 6165 / carolyn.levesque@pemreghos.org
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