Imaging Technology News 9/08

> > special report Leading the Intense Race Against Cancer BCCC ROC’s bottom line is to reinvest in technology and patient care. Rick Dana Barlow F Varian Medical Systems > > Radiation Oncology department of the future The leaders in radiation oncology and cancer treatment reinvest in state-of-the-art technology to promote effective treatments, improve upon operational efficiency, and they reinforce teamwork to optimize the patient experience. Plus, delivering higher doses and doing less damage is possible with SBRT. Leading the Intense Race Against Cancer SBRT - The New Treatment of Choice The Top IMRT/IGRT Centers to Watch 27 28 32 or the Memphis, TN-based Baptist Centers for Cancer Care’s Radiation Oncology Center (BCCC ROC), providing high-quality cancer treatment and customer service translates to not only leading the local and regional pack clinically, competitively and technologically but also consistently. Declining reimbursement, a faltering economy, competitive threats from other area hospitals as well as internal diversification and competition within its own parent organization have complicated matters. But they haven’t clouded the center’s vision, dampened the dedication and enthusiasm of the staff nor forced them to retreat to the status quo. Quite the contrary. Being an early adopter, being first in the metropolitan area to implement the latest advances in radiation oncology, remains its modus operandi, according to Karen McGraner, director, BCCC ROC. “Our organization is committed to its vision and re-invests in its technology,” McGraner said. “However, our challenge is to be our region’s early adopter as budgets decrease or if there are any changes in referral patterns. As any organization proceeds through its capital planning processes, our needs compete not only with other services within our entity and organization, but also with the needs of other radiation oncology centers in our organization.” Historically, BCCC ROC bills itself as the first in the area to offer freestanding prostate brachytherapy with intraoperative dosimetry, three-dimensional high-dose rate brachytherapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), respiratory gating and linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). In fact, within the last two years, BCCC ROC invested more than $5 million in equipment, the addition of a new HDR treatment area, upgrading its existing accelerator consoles to 4DTC and electronic medical record software as well as computer hardware, McGraner noted. “The investment in technology fits into the vision of our organization,” she said, “to ‘be a comprehensive cancer program dedicated to clinical excellence and compassionate cancer care.’ To provide clinical excellence the investment in technology is required.” “We believe that strategically being an early adopter of new technologies within our area provides us increased consumerism,” McGraner continued. “Clinically, as championed by our medical director, Jea Lee, M.D., our goal is to provide cutting-edge technology that increases quality and decreases toxicities, and impacts the overall response of the patient’s tumor response to treatment, therefore also distinguishing the services that you provide, as compared to your competitors.” McGraner cited the facility’s “strong” gynecologic service and new SRS/SRT program as two examples of Dr. Lee’s drive for clinical success. “We project that we will provide over 730 HDR treatments during this year, [which is] at the current rate of referral, but anticipate an increased referral pattern. We also have been encouraged by the initiation of our SRS/SRT program, and the physician champions [in radiation oncology, neurosurgery, thoracic surgery and medical oncology] who Race Against Cancer continued on page 29 September 2008 > special report > 27 http://new.reillycomm.com/imaging/special-report-b.php

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Imaging Technology News 9/08

Imaging Technology News 9/08 Contents IGRT How IGRT Targets the Prostate ASTRO Oncology Information Management Systems (OIMS) Imaging Leading the Intense Race Against Cancer SBRT - The New Treatment of Choice Top IMRT/IGRT Centers to Watch Molecular Imaging: Ready for the Limelight CR or DR in the ER? Have You Hit the Glass Ceiling?

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