Froedtert Today

October 2007 Issue

New Clinical Cancer Center to Open in 2008

In the spring of next year, we will unveil one of the most exciting developments in our history.

A great deal of research and careful thought went into understanding how cancer patients prefer to experience their treatment and follow-up care, — with an eye toward making cancer care more coordinated, reassuring and ultimately, more effective.

The five-story building, located on the southeast corner of the hospital adjacent to the East Clinics building, will provide a clear path for patients to follow, with all services within easy reach:

The full range of treatment options for every type of cancer
All types of cancer specialists working as a team with patients and each other in a single clinic location
A Quality of Life Center for all patient support needs
Convenient parking under the building

Inside the Clinical Cancer Center

Patients will find ample parking underneath the new building. They can easily access cancer services or the lobby directly from the parking area. Valet parking will also be available at the building’s entrance.

When patients visit the Clinical Cancer Center for treatment or follow-up care, most of their activities will occur on the second and third floors.

The fourth floor will house faculty offices and allow room for future expansion. The Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research will move from the Medical College of Wisconsin to the fifth floor of the new facility.

Innovation Our Guide

Before we even began designing the new facility, we thought it was important to ask the people who would use it what they needed. To that end, we asked patients what they like about the current Cancer Center, and what they might like to see enhanced. We also surveyed cancer doctors to learn what would make their jobs easier so they could provide better care. The result is a facility designed as an optimal healing environment — and a new care model called the hub concept, best visualized as the spokes of a wheel with the patient at the center or “hub” of a streamlined system of care and support.

It all begins with a patient’s call. An experienced Clinical Cancer Center staff member elicits information that will get the patient to the right cancer doctor at the right time, depending on the diagnosis. For instance, if a patient has or suspects he or she has breast cancer, an advanced practice nurse navigator sets up the initial consultation, orchestrates specialist appointments, connects the patient to support services and coordinates diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical procedures. A journey coordinator assists, taking care of scheduling, coordinating medical records and making phone calls — multiple tasks that are time-consuming and overwhelming for patients. These experts remain available for questions, concerns and needs throughout the course of care. The team pulls together every aspect of care so the patient doesn’t have to.

Second and Third Floor Guide

See a graphic of the floor plan for the Clinical Cancer Center.

Cancer Clinics
Patients coming for treatment or follow-up care will see their physicians here – no matter what the type of cancer, and whether they are seeing specialists for radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgical consultations or all three.
Quality of Life Center
Here, patients and their families can access all support needs, whether they need to see a cancer dietitian, a psych-oncology nurse specialist or a chaplain. Physical rehabilitation, social services and many other important services will also be available here.
Image Recovery
At the Image Recovery Center, patients will access experts for help with wigs, cosmetics, prosthetic devices and other support to help them look and feel better.
Radiation Oncology
Patients receiving radiation therapy will continue on to the third floor. The current Radiation Oncology area will extend into the new facility, where the hospital will add space for three new radiation machines to accommodate growth in this busy area.
Breast Care Center
The Breast Care Center offers routine exams and screenings, as well as biopsies and follow-up imaging for cancer survivors. Women will be able to access the Breast Care Center through the East Clinics building or the Clinical Cancer Center, as they prefer.
Chemotherapy and Day Hospital
Patients receiving chemotherapy or acute care in the day hospital will be able to enjoy soothing views of nature, as this area runs alongside a wall of windows overlooking the nature conservancy beside Doyne Avenue.
Physician Meeting Area
Tumor board meetings will take place in this physician education area, where cancer doctors and other cancer experts will meet regularly to discuss cancer cases.