Sanford Health has opened a new state-of-the-art cancer center across from the Sanford Medical Center in the heart of downtown Bismarck, North Dakota. The Sanford Cancer Center, located at 701 E. Rosser Ave. (fourth floor), provides one convenient location for patients to receive comprehensive cancer care under one roof.
The new location brings all disciplines together in one space dedicated to the care and treatment of cancer and provides additional space for the existing cancer team to grow.
“Our patients come to us from all across the Dakotas and Montana, they deserve exceptional care, delivered by highly trained professionals, in a state-of-the-art facility located close to their hometown,” said Mike Salwei, executive director of oncology services. “This new facility is part of our long-term vision to expand specialty care to support the needs of rural communities so patients and their families can have access to high-quality specialty care without having to travel long distances.”
Cancer care and services in one location
The new location will help minimize the need for patients to visit multiple locations for their health care needs – whether it be the clinic, lab, infusion services, etc.
“With this new location, we can help remove the stress from patients of coordinating visits to multiple locations to receive their care,” said Barb Nies, director of oncology services. “When it comes to your treatment, you focus on healing and let us do the coordination and running now for you. Bringing everyone together allows for a better collaboration of care and better communication for our patients.”
This will have an incredible impact on patient convenience and provide patients a healing environment best suited for communication, collaboration and individualized, holistic care.
“Many decades ago, it was a vision of mine to have this arena focused on multidisciplinary, evidence-based cancer care. This program is a progression through years of learning more about cancer, the needs of the patients and what the opportunities are, and then providing those opportunities close to home,” said Nies.
Services offered at the Sanford Cancer Center include:
- Medical oncology and hematology
- Nurse navigation
- Lab
- Infusion services
- Research
- Counseling & support services
- Survivorship resources
- BLOOM Specialty Boutique
Additional space for an expanding team of specialists
Sanford’s work to provide cancer care for communities across central and western North Dakota includes expanding their cancer team, services and treatments for patients. To continue providing patients with the high-quality care, additional space was needed to increase access to current services, as well as allow continued efforts to expand the team and program.
“We are very blessed to have a compassionate team dedicated to our patients,” said Peter Kurniali, MD, medical oncologist. “They have done an incredible job to accommodate the high-volume of patients in need. They have the same compassion also to be able to treat the patient sooner – and they fight for it actually, to get the patient to receive the treatment as soon as possible. With the new facility, by having more space we can give more access to the patients and can start treatment sooner, which is so important because with treating cancer, we don’t have the privilege of waiting.”
In addition to increasing access, the new facility will also help patients feel less crowded when receiving treatment, while still allowing for fellowship and conversation with others.
Collaborative, cutting-edge care, close to home
At Sanford Health, a multidisciplinary team of experts work meet and discuss patient cases to outline the best care plan. This brings together experts from all aspects of cancer care, including medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, plastic surgeons, pathologists, researchers and more. With the combined experience and latest in treatment options, patients are able to receive advanced care in Bismarck.
“Facilities like mayo clinic or academic centers absolutely have their place in cancer care, but you can receive excellent, evidence-based care right here in Bismarck,” said Aaron Luebke, MD, medical oncologist. “Which, many times, is equivalent to what you can get at academic centers. Many of those same treatments are given right here right now.”
Following a diagnosis, the Sanford Cancer Center offers a specialized team of providers, nurses, social workers, behavioral health specialists, navigators, survivorship coordinators and researchers to care for patients and help them navigate their journey.
“Holistic care is comprehensive care. It’s integrated care. It’s not narrowed down to one focus,” said Nies. “Cancer care is a team effort from the moment they’re diagnosed to their first visit with us through the treatment of their cancer and even after their treatment into the survivorship aspect of cancer care, it takes a range of people all the way from the nursing staff to the physicians to the mental health professionals and the genetic counselors … it’s a team effort from start to finish.”
Learn more
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Posted In Bismarck, Cancer, Cancer Screenings, Cancer Treatments, Company News, News
