Author: Sarah Barber
"In the new hospital we will be offering private pods for those who would like to receive treatment in a private space."
Anyone who has fought a battle with cancer knows that the infusion center, where they receive chemotherapy treatments, becomes a second home. With this in mind, McLaren Greater Lansing designed its brand-new infusion center in the new Karmanos Cancer Center at McLaren Greater Lansing to be a place where patients find comfort and healing when receiving treatments.
“Infusion therapy is treatment for cancer and blood disorders, both benign and malignant. However, the center’s primary role is to treat patients who have cancer. We also provide infusion therapy for patients with infections, iron deficiencies, and more,” said Patty Morley, manager of the Infusion Center at McLaren Greater Lansing.
Most oncology patients who come to McLaren for infusion therapy spend an average of three hours receiving treatment. However, treatment can range anywhere from 30 minutes to all day. Patients come in daily, weekly, or monthly. It is safe to say that McLaren becomes a home away from home.
That is the major reason they made sure to include comfort as a focus when designing the new Infusion Center in the brand-new Cancer Center at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing.
“The new infusion rooms are significantly different from what we currently have,” said Morley. “Right now, we have treatment bays in two different pods that are completely open environments. In the new hospital we will be offering private pods for those who would like to receive treatment in a private space, which will allow patients to nap, eat lunch with a support person, watch TV, or work in a quite environment with little distraction.”
McLaren will also offer semi-private pods for those patients who would like to socialize during their treatments. “The pods are bright and inviting and the experience is tailored to each patient,” said Morley. “We will even have some beds available to patients who are wanting to lie down while receiving care.”
The equipment, comfort, and overall design aren’t the only features being offered in the new infusion center. There will also be an embedded pharmacy, which offers patients the convenience of getting any medications they may need for their treatment quickly.
“We have a tremendous team with many years of experience between our nurses, physicians, and pharmacy staff,” said Morley. “Our team recognizes that time is so important to our patients and that’s why it was so important to us to provide our nurses and support staff all of the tools right there to support the patient.”