LONG BRANCH – The Leon Hess Cancer Center recently held a dedication ceremony for its new Outpatient Infusion Center, located on Highway 36 east.
Staffed by chemotherapy-certified oncology registered nurses, the center provides a comfortable, convenient setting for outpatient chemotherapy and infusion services. Laboratory testing and other services are performed as patients rest in comfortable recliners and complete blood count tests are performed by the Monmouth Medical Center’s state-of-the-art laboratory.
A host of other services also are provided for non-oncology as well as oncology patients, including IV hydration, iron infusions, colony stimulating factors, lab services, blood draws and central line maintenance.
“Treating cancer through the use of chemicals, hormones or biological products is the focus of medical oncology,” said Seth Cohen, M.D., a medical oncologist and medical director of the Outpatient Infusion Center. “At the Leon Hess Cancer Center, these cancer-fighting medications and therapies are delivered by our team of medical oncologists during the complete course of treatment. We are committed to providing personalized and compassionate care in a comfortable and convenient environment.”
Cohen noted that the medical oncologists also direct patients through the pathways of the entire cancer experience, providing supportive care and coordinating treatment offered by other specialists as part of the Leon Hess Cancer Center’s interdisciplinary approach to cancer care.
“Our board-certified medical oncologists are experienced in every phase of cancer treatment management, including planning, coordination and collaboration,” he said. “They work closely with radiation oncologists and surgical oncologists to ensure patients receive the most effective treatment – whether it involves one or more cancer therapies, given simultaneously or concurrently.”
Cohen noted that the medical oncologists are supported by highly skilled nurses and other allied health professionals in both outpatient and inpatient settings to provide individualized care that meets the medical, physical and psychological needs of patients before, during and after treatment.
“At our Outpatient Infusion Center, we offer patients the convenience of a private pharmacist on-site, patient navigator and social workers, as well as access to the latest clinical trials and personalized medicine that is based on genetic-based therapy that allows physicians to choose highly targeted treatment plans,” he said.
As a part of the world-renowned Penn Cancer Network, the Leon Hess Cancer Center augments its clinical research program by providing access to additional trials offered through Penn’s Clinical Research Cancer Network. The Penn Cancer Network includes a select group of community and academic hospitals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware that are recognized for their excellence in patient care and commitment to improving the health and well-being of their community.
The Outpatient Infusion Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Additional information is available by calling the center or any of the services of the Leon Hess Cancer Center at 732-923-6575.
