why huntsman cancer institute?
In deciding where to seek treatment for your myeloma, you may be asking yourself: “Why Huntsman Cancer Institute?”
Here are some of the qualities that make HCI a center of excellence for the treatment of myeloma:
Time spent on clinic visits. Each patient benefits from an extended clinic visit with his or her myeloma physician. New patients are allocated approximately two hours per clinic visit for chart review and consultation, while returning patients typically have clinic visits that will last an hour or more. This is important because cancer care is complex and quality care demands that sufficient attention is given to the unique details of a patient's clinical case. Also, each patient deserves to be educated about the disease and to have the opportunity to have all questions and concerns addressed.
Expertise and specialization. Our physicians specialize in myeloma care and primarily see myeloma patients. They are considered experts in the field by their peers and have published extensively in highly reputable academic journals such as Blood, The New England Journal of Medicine, The British Journal of Haematology, Lancet, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant. They are also frequently asked to lecture about the disease to patient, physician, and other caregiver groups.
Accreditation. As a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated and Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)-accredited cancer center, patients reap the benefits of a hospital that meets nationally established guidelines for excellence in cancer care and bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. Cancer care is often a multidisciplinary endeavor, and patients can find comfort in knowing that both HCI and the University of Utah are considered centers of excellence.
Outpatient transplantation. Since autologous stem cell transplantation is still considered the gold standard in myeloma treatment in terms of securing and sustaining remission rates, we offer patients the opportunity to undergo transplantation on an outpatient basis. This allows each patient to avoid hospitalization and has shown to decrease treatment complications, such as infection, while increasing treatment satisfaction and psychological well-being.
Dedicated staff. At the HCI Myeloma Program, we have gathered an ever-growing number of staff who are dedicated to helping you with different facets of your care—whether clinical, psychological, physical, or financial. Each staff member is available by phone, pager, or e-mail in order to ensure that you will receive prompt and professional attention.
A peer group. Undergoing cancer treatment is physically and emotionally challenging. Because myeloma is a relatively rare cancer, treatment-related anxieties can be made worse by feeling that there is no one else undergoing a similar struggle. Here at HCI, we have a large volume of myeloma patients, and our support groups allow patients the opportunity to get to know one another and share experiences and successes.
Clinical trials. HCI myeloma physicians are not only clinicians but also researchers. Patients benefit immensely from the knowledge gained from bench and clinical
research, which allows us to provide cutting-edge treatments not available at many other centers or clinics.
Supportive care resources. In recent years, it has become evident that patients fare better—physically and emotionally—from holistic treatment approaches, and this has been incorporated into our treatment philosophy at Huntsman Cancer Institute. We hope that patients will take advantage of the many supportive care resources available to them.
