Clinical Cancer Center Video Tour Transcript
Overview
The exterior of the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer
Center building might seem impressive, with its glass facade spanning an elegant,
graceful curve. But its design was not meant to impress, rather, to reflect a
carefully thought-out vision of cancer care, one where people diagnosed with
cancer can feel calm, peaceful and inspired with hope.
This environment will help make that possible.
The first floor lobby welcomes visitors, and on the second floor – with
breathtaking views of a nature preserve – are the interdisciplinary Cancer
Clinics – where patients see physicians and other caregivers for appointments,
exams, tests and support services.
The physicians who practice at the Clinical Cancer Center are oncology
sub-specialists who focus on a specific segment of cancer diseases. While the
best cancer care requires specialization, it also requires the expertise of a
wide variety of physicians, including surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists,
interventional radiologists, oncology nurses, imaging specialists, pathologists
and more.
The Cancer Clinics are divided into four sections – each staffed by our
sub-specialist physician teams and other experts. Each Clinic also has a
memorable, affirming name to help remind patients where to come for each visit.
But it's the way we care for patients within the cancer clinics that makes the
Clinical Cancer Center unique and remarkable.
We call it the hub model of care, with the patient at the center, surrounded
by physicians and other specialists who provide their expertise and support
all in one place. This model of care starts with a nurse who specializes in
that patient's particular form of cancer. The nurse is joined by a journey
coordinator – and together, they take care of all the details – so our patients
can concentrate on taking care of themselves.
The layout of the clinic also provides physicians with new opportunities
for providing coordinated care.
On the third floor of the Clinical Cancer Center is our Day Hospital. Chemotherapy
and other infused treatments given here can be difficult for patients, so our
goal is to make this environment as comforting as possible. Semi-private
infusion stations let patients receive their therapy in a light, open environment
that allows for interaction with others, while private infusion rooms enable
patients to receive the equivalent of inpatient care in an outpatient setting.
The Breast Care Center is dedicated to breast health. to educating women,
promoting breast health, and providing comprehensive breast care throughout
a woman's life.
This area is devoted to Radiation Oncology, and is home to the Clinical
Cancer Center's new MRI scanner - which it shares with the Breast Care
Center. It also houses the Radiation Oncology CT Simulator, giving
physicians the ability to view the precise locations of tumors – which
results in more targeted treatment – and reduced side effects.
The most advanced technologies – delivered by doctors who are true experts
in their fields, within a carefully thought-out environment… designed
through the eyes of our patients and the specialists who care for them.
If you are looking for a physician, please call: 866-680-0505.
When You Arrive
At the entrance to the Froedtert & The Medical College Clinical Cancer
Center, a circular drive welcomes patients and their families. Here,
patients may be dropped off under the covered walkway, or choose valet
service. For those who would rather park their own cars, three floors of
parking – 350 spaces – are available directly under the building. Simply
take the elevator from any floor of the parking structure up to the lobby.
Inside the lobby, our concierge is on hand to welcome visitors and help
patients and their families find their way. This is also where visitors
will first notice how the expansive windows bring the calming nature of
the outdoors in.
To learn more about how we’ve incorporated nature and environmental
responsibility into the design of the Clinical Cancer Center, click
Tell Me More.
The Clinical Cancer Center has been designed to save energy and
ensure a healthy environment for our patients.
- A reflective roof coating helps keep the building cool in summer.
- A "green roof" above the lobby provides insulation, captures
rainwater and lowers the roof temperature.
- The sweeping glass facade cuts down on lighting costs and
helps heat the building in winter.
- Low-emission paints, carpeting and other building materials
improve indoor air quality.
Patients and visitors will also notice a Crane motif in some
areas of the building.
Click "Tell Me More" to learn how this graceful bird helps
symbolize our mission for the Clinical Cancer Center.
Cranes have a special meaning in many folklore traditions throughout
the world. They symbolize longevity, good health, vigilance — and,
for some, a celebration of life. The physicians, nurses and other
expert staff of the Clinical Cancer Center share these ideals. Our
goal is to bring together compassion and expertise in an
environment of hope and healing.
The Cancer Clinics
The second floor of the Froedtert & The Medical College Clinical
Cancer Center is where patients see physicians and other specialists
for appointments, exams, tests and support services. The physicians
who practice at at the Clinical Cancer Center are oncology sub-specialists
who focus on a specific segment of cancer diseases. While the best
cancer care requires specialization, it also requires the expertise
of a wide variety of physicians, including surgeons, medical and
radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, oncology nurses,
imaging specialists, pathologists and more.
The Cancer Clinics are divided into four sections – each staffed
by our sub-specialist physician teams and other experts. Each Clinic
also has a memorable, affirming name to help remind patients
where to come for each visit.
The first, Courage, is dedicated to patients with cancers that include
lung, esophageal, skin, bone and connective tissue cancers, as well
providing palliative care, physical therapy and rehabilitation medicine.
The Life clinic is dedicated to patients with cancers that include
blood and lymph node cancers, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma,
aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Patients requiring
blood and marrow transplant also see their physicians here.
The Faith clinic is dedicated to patients with cancers that include
gynecologic, endocrine, colorectal, pancreatic, liver, bile duct
and gall bladder cancers.
And finally, the Hope clinic is dedicated to patients with
cancers that include head and neck cancers, prostate and other
urologic cancers, and brain and spine tumors.
Patients who have breast cancer are seen in the Breast Care
Center on the third floor of the Clinical Cancer Center.
What makes the Clinical Cancer Center unique and remarkable is
what happens within each of the four clinics. Consider this.
It's not uncommon for a cancer patient to see 4 or 5 different
specialists during treatment. Typically, appointments with these
specialists would happen in separate locations, with the patient
traveling from clinic to clinic. But within the Clinical Cancer
Center - it all happens in one location.
We call it the hub model of care, with the patient at the center,
surrounded by caregivers who provide their expertise and support
all in one place. This model of care starts with a nurse who
specializes in that patient's particular form of cancer. The nurse
is joined by a journey coordinator – and together, they take care
of all the details – so our patients can concentrate on taking
care of themselves.
The layout of the clinic also provides physicians – including
our experts in Palliative Care - with new opportunities for
providing coordinated care. This physician and staff workroom,
for example, is designed specifically to encourage collaboration.
It's a space that allows the entire team of cancer experts -
specialists who focus on specific types of cancers - to literally
work side by side - to share opinions, best practices and treatment
recommendations when caring for cancer patients. Another feature
conducive to teamwork is the addition of procedure suites -
located just one floor up. These suites, available for surgical
procedures that don't require anesthesia, are more convenient
for patients – as well as for their doctors.
Surgeons still perform major operations, such as prostatectomies, at
Froedtert hospital. Medical College of Wisconsin surgical
oncologists are nationally and internationally recognized for their
expertise and groundbreaking work in advancing treatments for
cancer using minimally invasive techniques and other innovations,
such as Stealth image guided surgery and robotic assisted technology.
Just down the hall from the clinics, Froedtert & The Medical
College backs its commitment to the search for new and more
effective cancer treatments. This is where we manage clinical
trials for new drugs, therapies, technologies and procedures.
The Clinical Cancer Center also houses the Center for International
Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, which collects data on
transplants performed at medical centers around the globe.
Its researchers use this database to identify the most effective
therapies and to design new clinical studies.
We are leaders in providing new options and improved quality
of life for our cancer patients. To learn more about our
Clinical Trials, click Tell Me More.
Clinical trials help improve the broad spectrum of cancer care,
encompassing not only diagnosis and treatment, but prevention
as well. By participating in significant clinical trials for
new drugs, radiation therapies, interventional techniques,
technologies and surgical procedures, the Clinical Cancer Center
is positioned as a research leader that provides direct benefit
in terms of new treatment options and improved quality of life
for our cancer patients.
The Cancer Rehabilitation Gym serves patients who have physical
limitations, resulting from either the disease or the treatment.
These patients undergo therapy onsite with specialized physical
medicine physicians and therapists who are dedicated to the
Clinical Cancer Center.
Another area is the laboratory, staffed by nurses and technicians
with special expertise in working with cancer patients.
Patients almost always get blood work done when they come in
for chemotherapy; the lab has been designed to reduce wait times.
To learn more about the Cancer Clinics, click Tell Me More.
The Interdisciplinary Cancer Clinics contain 52 exam rooms
for physician consultations. The clinic area also offers a
complete range of support services specifically for cancer patients.
- The Cancer Rehabilitation Gym and several private treatment
rooms let patients do therapy onsite with physical medicine
physicians and therapists.
- The Blood Lab is staffed by technologists who have special
expertise in working with cancer patients.
Day Hospital (Chemotherapy)
The Day Hospital is the area of the Clinical Cancer Center where
chemotherapy and other infused treatments take place. Chemotherapy
can difficult for patients, so our goal is to make this
environment as comforting and peaceful as possible.
Along these floor-to-ceiling windows is a series of semi-private
recliner bays. Here, patients can be joined by family members
in an area that affords some privacy – but is still within eyesight
of the nurses. The semi-private infusion stations let patients
receive their therapy in a light, open environment that
allows for interaction with others.
Private rooms enable patients to receive the equivalent of
inpatient care in an outpatient setting. Research shows that
an outpatient setting that allows patients to return home each
day can positively impact outcomes. Many of these private
rooms have been oriented to allow natural light to come in.
Others are more enclosed for patients who may be sensitive
to light.
We created these different spaces because our goal is to help
cancer patients fit their medical care into their lives — instead
of fitting their lives into their medical care.
To learn more about the Day Hospital, click Tell Me More.
The Day Hospital provides a variety of care settings to fit the needs
of patients receiving chemotherapy and other infused treatments.
- Semi-private infusion stations let patients receive their
therapy in an open environment full of natural light.
- Private infusion rooms are designed for patients receiving
longer treatments or who need more complex support.
- Private rooms include accommodations for the patient’s
family and friends, and many have private bathrooms.
Breast Care Center
The Breast Care Center is dedicated to breast health, to
educating women, promoting breast health, and providing
comprehensive breast care throughout a woman’s life.
The Breast Care Center serves two primary functions:
It offers breast imaging, or mammograms, for women who don't
have cancer but are merely getting a routine exam. For those
patients, we've positioned the Breast Care Center so that it
can be accessed directly from the existing third floor of
Froedtert & The Medical College.
For women who have suspicious mammograms, or who have been
diagnosed with cancer, the Breast Care Center offers biopsies,
ultrasounds and follow-up care for cancer survivors.
And for women with breast cancer, the Breast Care Center
offers patients access to their entire treatment team, including
surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists,
pathologists and other caregivers who all focus exclusively
on breast cancer.
To learn more about how the Breast Care Center is designed
to ensure privacy, click Tell Me More.
The Breast Care Center has been designed with patient
privacy in mind.
- The check-in desk is positioned away from the waiting area.
- Check-out takes place at private desk stations.
- Patients can discuss routine screenings, diagnostic
results and medical needs in a confidential environment.
Radiation / Oncology
On the third floor of the Clinical Cancer Center is the area
devoted to Radiation Oncology. This is an extension of the
existing Radiation Oncology department at Froedtert & The Medical
College. It is home to the Clinical Cancer Center's new MRI
scanner, which Radiation/Oncology shares with the Breast Care
Center and houses the Radiation Oncology CT Simulator - giving
physicians the ability to view the precise locations of tumors –
which results in more targeted treatment – and reduced side effects.
And finally – the new Radiation Oncology area provides additional
space for radiation-generating machines called linear
accelerators, which deliver high-doses of radiation to cancerous
tissue. Linear accelerators are housed underground in most
hospitals, but special construction features allow access to
radiation therapy from the third floor of the Clinical Cancer
Center, more convenient for patients and physicians.
To learn more about advanced radiation treatment options at the
Clinical Cancer Center, click Tell Me More.
Patients who receive radiation therapy at the Clinical Cancer
Center benefit from the latest image-guided therapy technology.
- Image-guided therapy combines radiation delivery equipment with
imaging technology to achieve very precise radiation targeting.
- Precision targeting allows physicians to deliver higher
radiation doses to tumors while minimizing radiation side effects.
- Cutting-edge systems like TomoTherapy allow physicians to treat
irregularly shaped tumors and tumors close to critical organs.
Quality of Life
The Jeffrey C. Siegel Quality of Life center, with breathtaking
views of a nature preserve, is dedicated to helping cancer patients
and their families go through treatment gracefully, and with
dignity. We've brought together, in one place, the support
services cancer patients told us were important to them.
Here, in the privacy of individual meeting rooms, registered
Dietitians work with patients and their families to create
customized eating plans. Social Workers help cancer patients
access community resources. Financial Counselors help patients
and their families understand their financial options.
Psych-oncology advanced practice nurses are available to provide
counseling, and can prescribe medications if needed. Chaplains,
who focus on patients and their families touched by cancer,
provide spiritual support. And genetic counselors provide risk
assessments, counseling and testing to individuals who may be
at increased risk of cancer.
The Quality of Life Center is also home to our world-class
Palliative Care Program, and experts provide this important
care throughout the Clinical Cancer Center.
To learn more about our Palliative Care Program, click Tell Me More.
Palliative care is actively caring for people with life-threatening
diseases, including patients with major or terminal illness.
Specially trained physicians and nurses manage distressing
physical and emotional symptoms, coordinate end-of-life medical
care, and help patients and their families with medical
decision making and personal goal setting.
The Palliative Care Program at Froedtert & The Medical
College of Wisconsin is a national leader in end-of-life care.
- It is one of only six "Palliative Care Leadership Centers" in
the country, as designated by the Center to Advance Palliative Care.
- Program Director David Weissman, MD, is a recognized pioneer
in palliative care education for healthcare professionals.
Within the Quality of Life Center, we also provide complementary
medicine, or non-traditional health services, like acupuncture
and therapeutic massage.
Just a few steps away, patients and their families can take
advantage of an outpatient pharmacy, as well as a bistro offering
a range of healthy food choices, including organic selections.
This bright, comfortable spot also offers wireless internet access.
To learn more about the bistro adjacent to the Quality of Life
Center – including hours of operation and menu options - click Tell Me More.
The 87th Street Bistro brings patients, families and visitors
healthy menu choices and daily fruit and vegetable specials.
The Bistro also features organic choices from local food and
coffee suppliers. Menu selections include:
- Bistro eggplant parmesan
- Fresh fruit topped with Wisconsin yogurt and granola
- Crudités
- Continental breakfast
- Bistro stir fry
- Made-to-order Italian sodas
The 87th Street Bistro is open 7 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
Next to the Quality of Life Center, we even have an area to
help patients look and feel better. Something as simple as a hand
massage can help make a day in the life of a cancer patient a bit
brighter. We call this our Small Stones Wellness Center where
patients can access a number of services.
- A hairdresser and wig stylist
- Natural skin and nail care treatments
- Therapeutic massage
- Makeup consultations
- Post-mastectomy garments; and
- Head coverings, gentle cosmetics, books and CDs
Services are coordinated with each patient's plan of care –
and are delivered by specially-trained staff.
By bringing support services together, in one place, our commitment
is twofold. First, that if the services are conveniently available,
more cancer patients will take advantage of them. And second, that
cancer patients and their families will receive the support they need,
with the dignity and respect they deserve.
If you are looking for a physician, please call 866-680-0505.