Fayette County residents who have been diagnosed with cancer or a hematologic disorder will soon be able to receive oncology and hematology services close to home. Fayette County Memorial Hospital (FCMH) and Adena Health System are extending their collaborative relationship for the development of the FCMH Cancer Care Clinic scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2019.
Located in Medical Arts Building 2, 1510 Columbus Avenue, the 3,000 square foot space will be home to four infusion chairs and one bed. Patients will be able to receive chemotherapy and supportive infusions or injections five days a week.
“The relationship will allow us to utilize Adena Cancer Center’s expertise in determining an individualized treatment plan for every patient,” said FCMH CEO Mike Diener. “We will collaborate with their weekly Tumor Board – a team of experts from various fields including pathology and radiology – to discuss the best treatment plan for each patient.” The specialized Tumor Boards focus on breast, lung, head & neck and colorectal cancers.
“According to the Ohio Department of Health, Fayette County can expect around 200 new invasive cancer cases annually – most notably cancer of the breast, lung, colon and prostate. A diagnosis of cancer can be scary. Our goal is to provide local, professional treatments, and to ease the burden of traveling out of town for care. This is just another way of furthering our mission of improving the health of our community by providing high-quality patient care and education,” Diener added. “This venture also aligns with our Adena affiliation goals of keeping care close to home, coordinating resources to provide cost-effective medical care, and developing on-site outpatient clinics to create better and quicker access to care.”
“Cancer care is changing and many treatments require frequent visits for many months or years,” explained Alex Wilson, M.D. Adena Cancer Center Medical Director and Radiation Oncologist. “Having chemotherapy and immunotherapy infusion closer to home will benefit many patients who require these longer treatments. It would also be easier for patients in the FCMH service area to complete recommended follow-ups with an oncologist, as Dr. Mani will be close by and readily available. We are excited about this relationship with FCMH and the Washington Court House community.”
FCMH and Adena are also pleased to announce the leadership team for the clinic. Beth Harper, CNP, has been named the Oncology Leader. Harper has nearly 30 years nursing experience, including outpatient services, birthing center and oncology care. She has been a Certified Nurse Practitioner for FCMH Medical & Surgical Associates since 2017.
Adena Health System’s Dr. Shylaja Mani will serve as the clinic’s on-site Medical Oncologist. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and her Hematology and Oncology Fellowship at The Ohio State University. The clinic will be staffed with Harper, Dr. Mani, one registered nurse, one licensed practical nurse and one scheduler. “Beth & Dr. Mani’s passion and experience in oncology will serve our patients and community well as we introduce this new service line,” said Diener.
Diener advised that an open house will be held prior to the official opening of the clinic. The public will be invited to tour the facility and meet the staff. For more information about the new FCMH Cancer Care Clinic, please call Tammie Wilson, FCMH Chief Nursing Officer at 740-333-2715.