On the Horizon: A New Paradigm for Battling Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer care is changing at Cleveland Clinic. From a new home-to-be for services to standardizing the way care is delivered, here is a look at exciting new efforts underway:

Coming Soon: A new Home for Cancer Care

When designing a cancer facility, patient outcomes come first. When Cleveland Clinic’s 377,000-square-foot cancer building opens in 2017, physicians and patients will find a facility designed expressly to improve care through a collaborative, disease site-specific approach.

“The new cancer building will allow us to centralize the cancer care we provide, creating a seamless, personalized experience for patients,” says Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute Chairman Brian J. Bolwell, MD.

High-Quality, Value-Based Colorectal Cancer Care

The collaborative spirit began with Dr. Bolwell and Feza H. Remzi, MD, Chairman of the Department of Colorectal Surgery, seeking to enhance the treatment approach to colorectal cancer patients. “We will leave no stone unturned until we develop a new standard of excellence in outcomes and patient care,” Dr. Remzi says.

DDI colorectal surgeon Matthew Kalady, MD, and Taussig medical oncologist Alok Khorana, MD, are Co-Directors of a new Comprehensive Colorectal Cancer Program.

“We’re re-examining everything from screening to treatment to follow-up and survivorship,” explains Dr. Kalady. “But the bottom line is that we are redesigning our program to emphasize high quality care at a financial value. The way we are doing that is by using an evidence-based, patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach.” This approach includes:

• Standardized care paths — These paths are aimed at reducing care variability and allow more meaningful and comparable outcome measures
• Multidisciplinary care clinics — Patients get access to their team of specialists — from surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology — in one location, which improves care coordination
• Tumor boards — Having simultaneous case reviews by radiology, pathology, surgery, hematology/oncology and radiation oncology facilitates the best treatment plans.

Smart Design = Better Care

Team members also helped design patient care areas in the new building, packed with elements to improve care. Colon cancer will have its own dedicated clinical practice floor where physicians are steps away from their patients. “All the doctors and necessary diagnostic equipment will be housed in the new building, helping streamline care,” Dr. Kalady notes.

The building also consolidates other specialties, such as genetics and genetic testing, and houses support services, including registered dietitians, prosthetics, wig services and a spiritual center.