MultiCare Regional Cancer Center, Tacoma WA

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Overview

When you have cancer, choosing the right place to go for treatment can be a difficult decision. You want the best, latest treatment options, including those only available in clinical studies or at a comprehensive cancer center, but would rather not travel to Seattle to get it.

MultiCare is a large organization consisting of 8,300 employees, four hospitals, and many outpatient clinics in Tacoma, Covington, Auburn, Puyallup, and Gig Harbor. The pediatric oncology program at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is also part of the MultiCare Regional Cancer Center system.

“When I joined MultiCare Regional Cancer Center in 2005, I was impressed by the similarity of our comprehensive care mission with that of University of Washington Medical Center, where I worked before,” says John Rieke says, medical director of MultiCare Regional Cancer Center.

Among the programs offered at MultiCare are image guided intensity modulated radiation therapy, HDR, brachytherapy, and stereotactic cranial and body radiosurgery.

“We are most excited about our electronic medical record system to support radiation and medical oncology. It connects all the centers, which is especially helpful for patients receiving multiple therapies,” Rieke says.

There are plans to expand the Tacoma General oncology treatment center, which will open in 2010, to provide 40 chemotherapy chairs, three linear accelerators, complete radiosurgery services, a complete array of cancer imaging services, and a brachytherapy suite, all using the latest technology. Intraoperative radiotherapy will become feasible in the new facility, which is connected to recently modernized operating rooms.

In addition to their physical updates, MultiCare has added special patient navigators to support the four major disease site specific  teams, which are neuro-oncology, breast cancer, urologic oncology, and thoracic/lung cancers, as well as general navigators for most other medical/radiation oncology patients.

“Our disease site specific teams now have great leadership and navigational support, the development of which is aided by support and mentoring from the SCCA Network,” Rieke says. “We are especially interested in extending the prevention programs from Seattle to our part of the Puget Sound region.”
 

Patients benefit from the Network relationship between MultiCare and SCCA because
 

  • MultiCare physicians may consult with SCCA oncologists about your diagnosis and treatment.
  • As a MultiCare patient, you may seek a second opinion from doctors at SCCA.
  • If you and your MultiCare doctors decide that a clinical trial is right for you, you can participate in the trial at MultiCare Regional Cancer Center.

More information about MultiCare Regional Cancer Center can be found on their website at www.multicare.org.