Princeton Community Hospital celebrates new cancer treatment facilities
May 23—princeton — Cancer treatment that's closer to home was celebrated Wednesday when the ribbon was cut for a new Hematology/Oncology Clinic at WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital.
Officials from West Virginia University, WVU Medicine, the WVU Medicine Cancer Institute and the local hospital gathered with local leaders, patients, staff and community members for the new facility's grand opening. The clinic is the first phase of the new, two-story comprehensive cancer center to be built on the Princeton hospital's campus.
Once construction is complete, the new cancer center, in collaboration with the WVU Cancer Institute, will provide the most up-to-date, multidisciplinary cancer care available in the two Virginias region, hospital officials said. The WVU Cancer Institute at Princeton Community Hospital will serve a 10-county region comprising Mercer, McDowell, Raleigh, Summers, Monroe and Wyoming in West Virginia; and Giles, Bland, Tazewell and Wythe in Virginia.
The new Hematology/Oncology Clinic makes it easier for patients to get their treatments by combining two current clinics inside of the hospital, which offers convenient access to ancillary departments. The clinic will feature a private wig room with current styles and other supplies for patients, including mastectomy supplies, hats and head coverings. The space will include a private consultation room for patient and providers, a conference room for educational and team meetings, 14 exam rooms, and two special procedure rooms.
Opening the Cancer Clinic is the first phase of a 24,000-square-foot comprehensive Cancer Center that will be built on the north end of the Princeton hospital's campus, hospital officials said. With a projected completion date of January 2028, the facility will feature two levels initially, with provisions for future expansion. Radiation oncology will be located on the first level, while chemotherapy/infusion services will occupy the second one.
"Thank you all so much for being here today about the opportunity to have our grand opening. As you can see, it's a new era of cancer care in our region and what we're here to talk about is this is the beginning of things that are going to be happening here in the southern part of the state," said Karen Bowling, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital.
"There's more to come, but today we want to celebrate two particular things," Bowling said. "One is the grand opening of our new consolidated cancer offices. We're going to have an opportunity for you all to go through it, but we're really excited to combine the two offices that we currently have into one. The entire goal of what we try to do here at WVU Medicine PCH is comprehensive care for our patients and this is a way we can do that."
The hospital was also celebrating its new infusion center, she told the audience.
"Although not quite open yet, it will be open by the end of July," Bowling said. "We also want to celebrate that because it's very important for the people of our community to receive chemotherapy, receive infusions for other types of problems like rheumatoid arthritis. We are very fortunate right now. We've partnered with RNI and we do the infusions for Alzheimer's drug, so a lot of great things happening at WVU Medicine PCH."
PCH Board Chair Rusty Sarver the hospital was "thrilled" with the WVU Medicine partnership and how the facility had progressed since that partnership began.
"Thank you for all the things that have already happened, thank you for all the things that have been announced that are coming up," Sarver said. "We can't wait to see what's next."
Sarver also praised the hospital's staff.
"Even though you can have the nicest facility, it's the people. If you get a chance, talk to the staff that work here," he said. "You can see by talking to these folks the passion they have for taking care of the population of this area, and I appreciate it."
Dr. Albert Wright, WVU Health System President and CEO, said the health care system was reaching out across the state.
"Every hospital that has joined our health care system just like we're celebrating here today increases the number of people who work there, the number of patients we take care of and the number of physicians and services we offer in those hospitals," Wright said.
Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, WVU Cancer Institute Executive Chair and Director spoke about the value of having cancer treatment that's closer to home.
"When you think about a diagnosis of cancer, it's a life-altering moment," Hazard-Jenkins said. "It shatters every thought process of what's going to happen in the future, so recalibration happens and that's a very big moment of time in someone's life and in a family's and a friend's life. The closer you can be to your network, to your supporters, the better you're going to do. There's just no doubt about it. You're coming to a place where you see the person giving you an infusion at your church or at the grocery store or out walking the dog."
West Virginia University President Dr. E. Gordon Gee said many of the Mountain State's residents have left, but access to good health care can help them stay home.
"So many West Virginians have left West Virginia," Gee said. "There is a diaspora of West Virginians out there, they love this state but for some reason or other we've exported oil and gas and we've exported people. And that is something we can no longer do. Part of that reason is that we have to make sure we have great health care. No West Virginian, no child needs to leave this state to get great health care.We belong to the to the people of West Virginia."
"We're not only the state's university," Gee said. "We are the providers of great health care."
Contact Greg Jordan at
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
