Cancer Treatment Centers Of America Marks Second Anniversary And Announces Expansion Plans To Double Capacity

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 21 Dec 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), which transformed shuttered Parkview Hospital in Philadelphia's Northeast section into a state-of-the-art whole-person cancer hospital, celebrates its second anniversary and announces expansion plans to double hospital capacity in 2008.

Since opening in December 2005, the hospital's unique approach to cancer care, which combines conventional medicine in radiation, chemotherapy and surgery with complementary medicine, has been so successful that patients from all over the East Coast and as far as Hawaii and the Virgin Islands come seeking treatment.

"Cancer Treatment Centers of America opened in Philadelphia because our patients requested that we bring our unique model of care to the Northeast region of the United States," said President and CEO John McNeil. "The fact that we are growing so fast indicates that our patients are finding what they are looking for."

The project will significantly expand out-patient service areas by adding new examination rooms and treatment space, including an in-house PET/CT facility in the main hospital building. The number of patient and guest quarter rooms will also double and additions to the pharmacy and infusion departments are scheduled for late 2008.

With CTCA's expansion comes great economic benefit to the city of Philadelphia. In the last two years hospital staff has grown from 154 to 423 employees; doubling patient capacity means adding an additional 250 new jobs. New positions will be available in various departments from housekeeping and interventional radiology to nursing and guest services, ensuring that as the hospital grows it maintains the gold standard of care on which its reputation is built.

With approximately 85 percent of patients coming from outside Philadelphia, Cancer Treatment Centers of America's growth will also bring thousands of new visitors and guests to the city each year. "Many of our patients and their families come for extended periods and stay in nearby hotels that we contract with. We encourage them to take advantage of the city's many offerings and even plan trips and activities for them throughout the city," said McNeil.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America is proud to be a vital, growing, contributing member of Philadelphia and its Northeast community.

Founded in 1988, Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) provides a comprehensive, patient-centered treatment model that fully integrates traditional, state-of-the-art medical treatments with scientifically-supported complementary therapies such as nutrition, naturopathic medicine, psycho-social counseling, physical therapy and spiritual support to meet the special, whole-person needs of cancer patients living with complex and advanced-stage disease. With a network of cancer treatment hospitals and community oncology programs in Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Washington, CTCA encourages patients and their families to participate in treatment decisions with its Patient Empowerment MedicineSM model.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America