Alongside a Varian TrueBeam Linear Accelerator, patients will find a boutique spa where their hair loss, lymphedema and mastectomy concerns can be addressed, and a financial counselor to help them navigate the monetary stresses of cancer care.
Rajesh Sehgal, MD, director of oncology at AdventHealth Cancer Institute Winter Park, spoke with Becker’s about why this care strategy is so crucial for cancer patients.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: Why is offering more than clinical care so important for AdventHealth?
Dr. Rajesh Sehgal: Clinical care is standard of care, and in oncology, clinical care is pretty standardized. For me personally, and for us here at AdventHealth, we don’t even like to use the words “clinical care,” we like to use “whole person care.” And there are three words in that—whole, person and care. We use whole-person care because it’s beyond just doing your blood test, giving you chemotherapy, and giving you medicines. It’s just taking you through the entire cancer journey.
Q: What are some ways the cancer institute offers whole-person care?
RS: At AdventHealth Cancer Institute Winter Park, we offer whole-person care before, during and after treatment.
We have set up a multidisciplinary care team for patients to see before cancer treatment begins. We have the medical director, surgeon, radiation oncologist, financial counselor, nutrition team, nurses, and a nurse navigator all under one roof. Everybody who needs to see the patient can see them one time and we have a game plan ready. If the patient needs any more testing, 90% of the time we can get it done the same day.
During treatment, we have incorporated some things that are very close to my heart. We have music therapy where a band within AdventHealth comes and plays for the patients. We have received such good feedback from patients about how soothing it is. We have pet therapy where dogs and a very cute pet pony come to the center. Patients ask to schedule their chemos on the days when we have pets here; it brings a smile to their faces. We also offer patients a cooling cap during treatment, which can help with hair loss.
We also have a financial counselor who is very good at finding resources for patients and a social worker who has made an amazing difference in lifting patient’s spirits.
After patients have finished treatment, we have what we call the HEAL program. The program provides guidance on questions about what patients should eat, how much exercise they might need or what their lifestyle should be.
Q: Can you share a bit more about the Eden Spa?
RS: Eden Spa is another thing that is very unique to us and very close to my heart. It was very important for us to provide patients with a facility where we can help them with their mental and emotional needs.
Eden Spa provides customized fittings for wigs, mastectomy bras and compression stockings. It makes patients feel a little bit more empowered, so those body changes are not affecting their mind. They’re not feeling low, they’re not feeling down.
I can tell you this from personal experience, I had a family member who wouldn’t go out of the house because they lost their hair. With these services, patients are able to live a little bit more of a normal life.
Eden Spa was key for us when developing the cancer institute. When you build a cancer program, real estate is premium. Every nook and corner is already earmarked for something.
Insurance companies don’t usually cover these unique services, but we were able to find resources where we could provide that to our patients.
We are very proud to have it. I cannot tell you how much patients love it. I would do anything to keep it open and alive and kicking.
Q: Why are these types of services so important for cancer care?
RS: There’s no other field of medicine where these services are more important than oncology.
Sometimes, we are not able to change the end product, but we can change the journey. When somebody is going through cancer, they are probably at the lowest point in their life. We can make sure they feel uplifted and supported by creating a space that is compassionate, convenient and comfortable.
Imagine coming for chemotherapy every week. It bogs you down, no matter how strong you are. I can’t tell you what a bright smile appears on a patient’s face when they see the pony. These are small little things that make a difference. Cancer treatment is a prolonged journey. It can be overwhelming and daunting. A lot of things are uncertain. You need a team to support you in getting through this.
I was doing my rounds today for patients, and there were two carts in the hospital giving roses and chocolate to everybody for Valentine’s Day. Who does that? A hospital doesn’t have to do that. But that is who we are here at AdventHealth. Even if you’re walking around stressed, if somebody stops you to offer a rose and a chocolate, it helps you, even just a little bit, to cheer up.
Q: What advice would you give to other hospitals and health systems looking to establish similar cancer services?
RS: This is not the first time I’ve built a cancer program. I’ve learned a lot of lessons and I keep learning. Some of the key things are that it has to be patient-centered, it has to be comprehensive, and it has to be convenient.
At our cancer center, we have a lab where patients can walk in and we get results in less than five minutes. We have the infusion center. If you need radiation, Eden Spa, any other procedures — we have it all right here.
On the operational side, technology matters. You need to have facilities where you can do highly skilled procedures and you need to have expertise to perform them.
Last but not least is collaboration. You won’t be able to work alone. You need to collaborate with your staff, nurses, advanced practice providers, other specialists, but also with hospitals. Our hospital is across the street and we have a wonderful ER. I send a patient who’s really sick to the ER, and I know they’re going to get the best possible care.