Albert G. & Helen Nassif
Radiation Center It’s hard enough having cancer. It shouldn’t be hard to receive comprehensive treatment at one location. But that has been the challenge for UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital patients with cancer, who must leave St. Luke’s to receive radiation therapy. UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Foundation is leading a campaign to fund cancer services including external beam radiation therapy to give St. Luke’s patients access to a full spectrum of cancer care in one facility.
The
need in a nutshell
A diagnosis of cancer is traumatic
is achieved by ensuring all of
This results in unnecessary delays
for both patient and family.
the patient’s treatments, as well
in care, incomplete communica-
St. Luke’s Hospital is committed
as doctors and support staff, are
tion between providers and
to maintaining the least amount
working together as one team.
patients, duplication of services and unnecessary burden and
of patient stress and providing the best possible outcomes. This
Unfortunately, that is not the
confusion for patients and their
current reality. A
families during a frightening and
patient must leave
vulnerable time. In 2013, this
St. Luke’s to receive
disruption in care was placed on
radiation therapy.
nearly 400 St. Luke’s patients and
The duplication
their families.
of medical and support staff means the patient is repeating information and in some cases, duplicating tests and records. Without
A doctor has three options for
Bringing radiation therapy to
St. Luke’s Foundation has
radiation therapy,
treating cancer: surgery, chemo-
St. Luke’s completes the continuum
launched a campaign to support
the multidisciplinary
therapy and radiation therapy. For
of care and offers a number of
a radiation treatment facility.
model of care that
nearly 60 years, there has been a
patient benefits, including:
The Foundation’s goal is to raise
St. Luke’s strives to
gap in cancer care at St. Luke’s.
provide is fragmented and uncoordinated.
• Improved care coordination and integration of support staff • Improved communication between medical staff • Less anxiety for patients, as they don’t have to switch facilities, providers, or travel outside of Cedar Rapids • Cost savings per patient that can range from 20% to 50%
$1.3 million to support Cancer Services.
A
doctor’s perspective
Naming opportunities A number of designated areas are
Currently, St. Luke’s patients with
“My patients are dismayed when I
These vitally important support
cancer are, by necessity, dealing
tell them they must go to another
services need to continue
with two hospital systems because
hospital for radiation therapy,”
throughout radiation therapy
they must receive radiation therapy
says Dr. Buntinas MD, a medical
and after treatment is completed.
at another hospital. This creates
oncologist at Physicians’ Clinic of
“It is a disservice to our patients
stress for a patient.
Iowa Hematology & Oncology.
to have their care disrupted,”
Conference Room............ $100,000
available for name recognition through major gifts: Dollar Location Amount
says Dr. Buntinas. “It is obviously
Exam Rooms (4)................. $40,000
A patient who
beneficial for the patient’s entire
Gowned Waiting Area........ $40,000
leaves St. Luke’s
team to be at one location, where
Nurses’ Station.................... $75,000
to receive radi-
everyone can easily meet for a
Physician Offices (3).......... $40,000
ation treatment
consult,” she says.
Staff Research................... $100,000
will have a
Dr. Rasa Buntinas Oncologist, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa
Welcoming Entrance........ $170,000
dietician on their
A patient can become very sick as
team at both
a side effect of radiation therapy
hospitals, each
and may need time off from work.
giving the patient
The patient’s support team will
recommendations
be integrated and may include a
to help them
nutritionist, exercise specialist,
manage their
social worker, financial counselor
changing
and palliative care professional.
nutrition needs
Herein lies Dr. Buntinas’ concern.
during treatment.
“Our patient goes to another
“In many cases,
hospital and we are not involved
the patient
in their care for this stage of
will simply
treatment. It’s important to a
give up out of
patient’s quality of care to have
frustration,” says
the same multidisciplinary team
Dr. Buntinas.
overseeing the entire cancer treatment process.”
PHYS. 3
STYROFORMER
CONFERENCE ROOM
BREAK ROOM
SUPERVISOR OFFICE
RAD ONC OFFICE
RAD ONC OFFICE
MOLD EQUIP ROOM ROOM
LASER
PHYS. 4 LASER
STAFF CORRIDOR PHYS. 5
OFFICE
S/T
RESEARCH
JAN
PHYSICIST OFFICE
RN/DIET OFFICE STAFF CORR
ELEC OFFICE
COPY WORK
RECEPTION
CPU
CONTROL
NURSE
DOSIMETRY STAFF CORR
P/T STORAGE
IT CLEAN SUPPLY
GOWNED WAITING DR
H/C DR
EXAM
CORRIDOR P/T
HOLDING
TREATMENT CORRIDOR STORAGE
FUTURE EXAM SINK
PRIVATE EXAM #1
LINAC STORAGE
EXAM
(FUTURE EXAM)
P/T
WAITING
SOIL HOLD
COATS
CONTROL AREA OF RAISED ROOF ABOVE
EXAM CORRIDOR SCALE
VESTIBULE
UC FRIG COFFEE
CONSULT EXAM
FUTURE LINEAR ACCELERATOR?
FUTURE STRETCHER
P.T.
PRIVATE EXAM #2
CT
CONSULT EXAM
EQUIP ROOM
HDR CONTROL
HDR EXAM
LINEAR ACCELERATOR
Common
questions
Won’t radiation therapy equipment be a duplication of services already offered by others?
How many patients would benefit from radiation treatment at St. Luke’s?
Why is it important for a cancer patient to receive all treatment at one location?
In 2013, almost 400 St. Luke’s
Keeping a patient within one
cancer patients had to leave
health care system throughout
Bringing radiation
St. Luke’s in order to receive
their treatment produces better
therapy – a standard
radiation treatment, increasing
outcomes and a better patient
cancer treatment – to
the stress for patient and
experience.
St. Luke’s will improve
family during what is
the experience of our
already an anxious time.
patients with cancer. With the number of cancer cases expected to double by 2050, St. Luke’s is responding to the current and future
The Siemens CT Simulator provides images of the tumor and surrounding anatomy for accurate radiation dose calculations.
needs of its patients.
Nearly 60% of Cedar
Doesn’t St. Luke’s already offer radiation treatment?
Is there a cost benefit?
The hospital offers Intraoperative The equipment will be installed
Helen Nassif Radiation Center as
Electron Radiation Therapy
in the new Albert G. & Helen
a freestanding office-based facility
(IOERT), which provides radiation
Nassif Radiation Center at the
will provide a cost savings to
to a targeted area during breast
PCI Medical Pavilion.
patients, insurance providers and
cancer surgery. St. Luke’s is
the community. The savings
seeking to add two machines
per patient can range from
needed for radiation therapy:
20% to 50%.
Where will the radiation treatment be offered?
Does St. Luke’s treat enough cancer patients to justify buying this equipment?
a CT simulator, used to determine the amount of radiation needed and a TrueBeam™ linear accelerator, which provides radiation therapy to a targeted area.
Establishing the Albert G. &
Rapids cancer patients receive their diagnosis or first line of cancer treatment at St. Luke’s. With cancer projected to double by 2050, it is essential for St. Luke’s to offer radiation therapy in order to remain at the forefront of cancer treatment.
TrueBeam provides advanced imaging and treatment modes that enable doctors to tailor treatments to a specific cancer.
Our
promise This disruption in care causes confusion for patients and families during a vulnerable time. Your gift can make a difficult time a little bit easier. St. Luke’s patients deserve better.
Why now?
From its founding, philanthropists like you have been the backbone of St. Luke’s. There is never enough money in the hospital budget to provide for the best equipment, medicine and expertise needed to deliver the best patient experience. We count on you because patients count on St. Luke’s Foundation to
Cancer will soon
support the hospital’s delivery
overtake heart disease
of exceptional care.
as the leading cause of death in Iowa. From 2006 to 2010, nearly 32,000 Iowans
St. Luke’s cancer patients have
Why you?
St. Luke’s will continue its tradition of being the best, with your help.
the right to expect access to the
died from cancer. The odds are,
Please complete the enclosed
full spectrum of cancer treatment
you already know at least one
pledge card today or call St. Luke’s
at one location. Unfortunately,
person who’s been diagnosed
Foundation at 319/369-7716.
the hospital is missing one phase
with cancer. St. Luke’s cares for
of treatment. While St. Luke’s
nearly 60 percent of Linn County
offers surgery and chemotherapy,
cancer patients. As a leader in
patients must go to other facilities
cancer care, it’s imperative that
for radiation treatment.
St. Luke’s have the state-of-theart TruBeam linear accelerator, which delivers targeted radiation to the body.
TrueBeam™ is a trademark of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
stlukesfoundation.com