In June, The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center’s Breast Center at Green Spring Station opened its doors to a brand new space in its existing suburban location. The new setting offers a few additional services and some truly special amenities.
When patients come to the Kimmel Cancer Center clinic at Greenspring Station Pavilion III, they’ll be greeted by more than gleaming new private exam rooms and modern infusion bays; on-site imaging, pharmacy and lab services. The entire practice is designed to provide an optimal cancer care patient experience.
The Kimmel Cancer Center at Green Spring Station has always had a robust medical oncology presence, and now surgical oncology will be increasing its footprint there. Beginning this fall, patients will be able to consult with their surgical oncologists as they have in the past but also undergo surgical procedures in the new outpatient surgery center. “Before, you could not operate at Greenspring,” says Lisa Jacobs, MD. The surgical oncologist, who will be practicing in the new space, calls the change a “huge advantage” for this patient population.
In addition to expanded formalized services, the new space is designed for spontaneous information sharing among various specialists. For instance, rather than waiting until a formal meeting such as a tumor board to have a quick but important conversation about a patient’s treatment plan, a surgical oncologist and a medical oncologist might readily confer in person. “Those quick, ‘Oh by the way’ conversations can be extremely valuable,” acknowledges Dr. Jacobs.
Also valuable are multiple, same-day medical appointments—a greater possibility at the new location, given the increased presence of surgical oncologists. When appropriate, a breast cancer patient may be able to see multiple specialists in one day at the Green Spring location, streamlining the diagnostic and treatment process during an otherwise stressful time.
Advanced nurses and patient navigators round out the multidisciplinary team of experts, including radiation, surgical and medical oncologists. “When you have cancer, you want to know: Am I going to get the best care I can get? No one can deliver the best care on their own. You have to have a strong medical team. And now, we can deliver most of that world-class care at the community level,” says medical oncologist Rima Couzi, M.D.
Couzi says she’s excited for the opportunity to be part of a practice that’s offering more services in a setting where many patients want to be. “I know, first-hand, that the folks in the Baltimore suburbs want to be closer to where they live,” Couzi says. “It’s a beautiful site. The building is new, and the services are world-class.”
Attractive Amenities
- Free parking immediately outside the front door to the office
- Doubling of office space, to 15,600 square feet
- Lab and radiology offices on the same floor, eliminating the need to use elevators
- Outdoor healing garden for respite and relaxation
- Outpatient surgery center