Wilmington, Del.-based Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, part of ChristianaCare, will now offer on-site primary care services to cancer patients, becoming one of the first cancer centers in the country to do so, according to a May 10 announcement shared with Becker's.
Patients undergoing cancer treatment at the center with non-urgent health concerns can be seen at the primary care center. The initiative is an extension of the cancer center's oncology express unit, an urgent care pilot program launched in March 2018.
The launch of the primary care practices comes after an informal survey found as many as 30 percent of patients at the Graham Cancer Center do not have a primary care provider.
"Our ability to offer primary care services to our patients who need them alongside a multidisciplinary roster of cancer services all under one roof is highly unusual among major cancer centers," said Nicholas Petrelli, MD, Bank of America endowed medical director of Graham Cancer Center.
"Having a primary care provider working in partnership with the patient's entire cancer care team, who understands potential treatment side effects and can be responsive to the patient's other medical needs, can make all the difference to long-term health and well-being," added Cydney Teal, MD, chair of ChrisianaCare's department of family and community medicine, and primary care service line leader. "Having them on site creates a whole new level of convenience for our patients."
Debra Delaney, RN, MSN, will lead care for patients referred to the primary care practice. Primary care services are offered from 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, with plans to expand hours in the future.