Avera Prairie Center Offers More Comprehensive Cancer Services
When the Prairie Center opened in 2010, Avera leaders had a vision to bring all Sioux Falls cancer services under one roof. More than ever before in the 15-year history of this five-story iconic building, that vision is reality.
“The Prairie Center became a new model for community cancer care across the Avera system in a welcoming environment of hope, dignity and excellence; and in a building that is very accessible and convenient for both patients and providers,” said Luis Rojas, MD, Avera gynecologic oncologist and Clinical Vice President of the Oncology Service Line at Avera.
Located on the campus of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, the building was planned with direct input from cancer patients. “Even from the original planning phases, it was a very thoughtful process to design how patients could access all points of care during their cancer journey. Most of the services have been here from the beginning, although numerous programs have been expanded and enhanced,” said Katie Van Beek, Avera Vice President for Oncology.
Most recently, the fifth floor of the Prairie Center has been refitted as a 24-bed inpatient unit for oncology patients. This helped expand beds at Avera McKennan in the former oncology unit, and at the same time, brought more cancer services into the Prairie Center, home to Avera Cancer Institute.
Back in 2010, fifth floor was left open as shell space to accommodate future growth. Based on immediate needs, it became the inpatient rehabilitation unit for several years. When inpatient rehab moved to the Avera Specialty Hospital at the Avera on Louise Health Campus, this opened the opportunity to create the inpatient unit.
A large percentage of cancer treatment is outpatient, yet patients might need an inpatient stay after an extensive surgery, for certain blood and marrow transplants, or if they experience illness due to their disease or chemotherapy side effects.
Patient journeys are all different, but one common example is that of a breast cancer patient.
- She receives her diagnostic imaging and biopsy on the third floor of the Prairie Center.
- After diagnosis, she sees her surgical, radiation and medical oncology specialists, patient navigator and genetic counselor.
- Her surgery may take place in the Avera Surgery Center on the fourth floor of the Prairie Center.
- If her care plan calls for chemotherapy, this takes place in the Prairie Center’s infusion suites, located on the second and third floors.
- If she needs radiation therapy, radiation suites are on first floor.
- If her doctor determines a need for PET-CT imaging to monitor spread of the disease, this happens on third floor.
- And if she experiences complications, illness or surgery that require hospitalization, she’s cared for on fifth floor.
“There are cancer centers where a patient like this would have to go to multiple locations or to opposite ends of a large medical campus for receive care throughout their journey,” Rojas said.
Cancer specialists are more accessible to deal with timely issues, Rojas said. “And patients love having all their care in one, easy to access location.” With valet parking at the front door, many patients don’t even need to find a place to park, and can walk right in, perhaps go up an elevator or staircase, and be at their care destination.
New clinic visits, infusion treatments and radiation treatments have increased over the past year. In fact, to accommodate growth, create capacity and allow more flexibility for patients, Avera’s infusion suites offer extended hours evenings and weekends.
To support patient growth, the laboratory has expanded, and has streamlined its process to add capacity.
Avera’s Palliative Care clinic has moved into the Prairie Center. Integrative Medicine services, including acupuncture, have moved to 41st and Holbrook in Sioux Falls, yet cancer patients can still access these services.
Avera is adding a fourth suite for radiation therapy to the west side of the building. As part of this upgrade, Avera Cancer Institute will move from having two linear accelerators to three. The fourth suite houses Gamma Knife®, very precise radiation therapy added in 2016. Gamma Knife is the gold standard of treatment of disease within the brain, for example, non-operable brain tumors, brain metastasis or non-cancerous conditions of the brain.
Avera’s PET-CT scanner to monitor progression of cancer was once at an off-campus location, but is now in the Prairie Center on third floor. “We’re installing a second unit, right beside the existing scanner, adding much-needed capacity,” Van Beek said.
“More enhancements are on the horizon, as we continue to develop better ways to care for cancer patients and keep up with the growth we’re seeing,” Rojas said.
Learn more about cancer care at Avera
