Health Wonders - Fall 2008 - (Page 4)

A Team The word Approach Expertise in more than one field saves lives Sandra Olah is optimistic about her cancer fight. “interdisciplinary” is used often in the healthcare field, and it takes on added significance when dealing with cancer-related care at University Hospitals. That’s because many patients’ conditions—especially the more complicated ones—are reviewed or managed by a team of clinicians who are experts in disciplines such as diagnostic imaging, pathology, radiation oncology, medical oncology and surgery. “The healthcare team works together,” says Judah D. Friedman, M.D., a hematology/oncology physician at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, “and the patient benefits from the exchange of various ideas and treatment approaches from their different perspectives.” Dr. Friedman presents details concerning the care of some of his patients to the University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center “tumor board,” resulting in customized treatment plans based on the shared expertise of that group. Real-Life Case One such patient, Sandra Olah, a 67-year-old Orwell resident, noticed a lump on her left breast in July 2007. Following a PET scan in which cancerous cells were found to have spread to her lung, she underwent surgery at University Hospitals Case Medical Center to have the spot removed. Under Dr. Friedman’s direction, Olah then began a two-month series of chemotherapy treatments to shrink the breast tumor to about onefourth of its original size. This allowed general surgeon Amy Waitman, M.D., to perform a mastectomy at Geauga Medical Center in December. A second round of chemotherapy ended in mid-April. Although Olah is still unable to participate in all of her normal activities because of fatigue, she is looking forward to regaining her “business as usual” routine. “There’s light at the end of the tunnel,” she says. “And Dr. Friedman is very reassuring. I was so optimistic when I was sent to meet him.” “There are a lot of advances in cancer care that are encouraging,” says Dr. Friedman. “And while Sandra’s cancer was hard-hitting, she is fortunate that it was diagnosed at an early stage and received aggressive therapy.” Olah, too, is thankful for the support she and her husband, Paul, receive at Geauga Medical Center. In addition to serving as her chauffeur to and from doctor appointments, Paul recently underwent hand surgery at the Orthopaedic Center. “Geauga is like our second home,” Olah jokes, “because we spend so much time there. But we’re coming to the end and I’ll be able to do other things.”  New Cancer Center There is more to the University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center at Geauga Medical Center than a new logo. The new center, located by the main hospital elevators, provides infusion therapy services to patients requiring chemotherapy, overseen by a board-certified hematologistoncologist. But the real advantage is access and collaboration with a wide range of cancer specialists at UH Ireland Cancer Center locations throughout Northeast Ohio. “By opening the new service here at Geauga Medical Center,” says Judah Friedman, M.D., “we are able to provide chemotherapy and other essential supportive care such as blood transfusions close to home for our patients. They will have access to the Ireland Cancer Center but not have to travel long distances for all of their care.” The Ireland Cancer Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a “Comprehensive Cancer Center” (the highest designation in the nation), one of only 41 centers in the country with such a designation. 4 Fall 2008 Check out our website at www.UHGeauga.org http://www.UHGeauga.org

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Health Wonders - Fall 2008 New Health Center, New Technology, to Debut in '09 Medical Mystery Taking a Team Approach to Fight Cancer A Geauga Doctor Gets a Snowboarder Back on His Feet Free Seminars on Orthopaedics and Memory Loss Meet Our Physicians

Health Wonders - Fall 2008

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