Southcoast Health System & Southcoast Hospitals Group eNews

Southcoast Hospitals announces Thoracic Cancer Clinic

Southcoast Hospitals has opened the region's first clinic dedicated to treating patients with lung cancer.

The Thoracic (Lung) Cancer Clinic at the Southcoast Center for Cancer Care in Fall River pulls together the expertise needed to diagnose, treat and coordinate care for patients who have been diagnosed with lung cancer and need a multidisciplinary team approach.

"Our team at the thoracic clinic treats patients with all types and stages of lung cancer from commonly occurring lung malignancies to unusual and more challenging cases," said Therese Mulvey, MD, Physician-in-Chief / Medical Oncologist at the Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care.

"All of the patients treated at the Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care have a dedicated team of oncologists and clinicians overseeing their care," Dr. Mulvey said. "In certain types of cancer, such as lung cancer which are difficult to screen for, there are variations in the treatment and management of the disease. Having a dedicated clinic for lung cancer patients ensures that each patient benefits from an individualized, coordinated treatment plan that is developed by a whole team of experts in lung cancer treatment who are working in concert to provide seamless state-of-the-art services."

The highly skilled thoracic clinic team consists of thoracic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, pulmonary specialists, pathologists, oncology nurses, the Patient Navigator and support personnel such as nutritionists, rehab specialists and social workers.

Richard T. Miller, MD, (right) a thoracic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive thoracic surgery and thoracic oncology, said the clinic helps to ensure continuity of care for patients facing this complicated diagnosis.

"Patients diagnosed with lung cancer have needs that reach far beyond their surgical requirements," Dr. Miller said. "Southcoast's multidisciplinary approach enables them to provide patients with the best possible comprehensive cancer care."

The clinic features the latest in thoracic oncology treatments such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), a minimally invasive approach to lung surgery performed by Dr. Miller and stereotactic body radiotherapy treatment (SBRT), a non-invasive surgical alternative proven to control malignancy in hard-to-reach areas of the body.

For further information and referral to the Thoracic Cancer Clinic, call 508-697-7816.

www.southcoast.org/news/

Earth Day 2010: Learn how you can help our environment

Environment at Southcoast Hospitals

Southcoast Hospitals is committed to improving the environmental health of our community by improving our environmental practices, including increasing our recycling and reducing our waste.

Southcoast is proud to collaborate with Waste Management to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day with education and information sessions about recylcing on April 20 to 22, 2010, at our hospital campuses. All events are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hospital cafeterias and open to the public.

April 20 | Tobey Hospital

April 21 | Charlton Hospital

April 22 | St. Luke's Hospital

www.southcoast.org/environment/

May 15: Operation Clean Sweep at St. Luke's Hospital

Environment at Southcoast Hospitals Southcoast Hospitals and Neighbors Eager for Enlightened Development (NEED) have once again teamed up with Operation Clean Sweep to hold a neighborhood clean-up on Saturday, May 15, from 8 a.m. to noon.

The clean-up will be headquartered at St. Luke's Hospital and volunteers will fan out to surrounding streets and neighborhoods to pick up trash.

This year we will also be collecting gently used clothing, books and baby items, such as strollers and car seats, for Gifts to Give, a New Bedford-based non-profit that refurbishes these items and returns them to needy families in the region.

All volunteers receive breakfast, Domino's Pizza, water, a T-shirt and a special gift!

Come out and help us keep our neighborhoods clean!

www.operationcleansweep.net/

Southcoast employees trained for emergency preparedness

Some 40 employees of Southcoast Hospitals Group successfully completed the Healthcare Leadership & Administrative Decision Making Course provided and fully funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP).

"Health care response during a disaster is part of an overall community response that involves many agencies, departments and organizations on a local, state and federal level," said Patrick Gannon, RPh, Vice President of Quality & Safety for Southcoast Hospitals Group, who also attended the training.

"Southcoast Hospitals conducts drills several times a year to make sure all of our staff have sufficient emergency preparedness training," Gannon said. "The FEMA training adds a new dimension to our hospitals' disaster planning and response. The key is to understand the extreme stress a health care system can be under and have plans and procedures in place to respond quickly and effectively to keep the health care system running smoothly during the disaster situation."

Learn more about the training.