State-Of-The-Art Cancer Center Coming In 2024 To Franciscan Health Lafayette East

LAFAYETTE, Indiana - A brand-new, state-of-the-art, all-inclusive cancer center is coming to Lafayette in March of 2024 and will be named Franciscan Health Cancer Center Lafayette. The 68,000-square-foot cancer center will feature a wide array of cancer-defeating technologies and therapies.

All technology and staff will be housed in the same location, with the facility being built for residents of the greater Lafayette area to have a cancer center close to home.

"Designed with the patient at the forefront, our new cancer center represents a significant leap forward in healthcare innovation," said Maria Vought, director of the oncology service line at Franciscan Health Lafayette East. "By consolidating a comprehensive suite of cancer services under one roof, we are streamlining the care experience, ensuring that patients and their families have convenient access to a wide range of support, resources, and expertise all in one location."

Among the services and treatments at the new Franciscan Health Cancer Center Lafayette will be: Oncology Infusion Therapy, Radiation Oncology (Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator), comprehensive breast center with 3D imaging and a dedicated breast surgeon, specialty cancer clinics, oncology clinical research, oncology nurse navigators, genetic testing and counseling, palliative care team, spiritual care, community support groups/cancer survivorship and comprehensive lab services.

Also, Franciscan Health Cancer Center Lafayette will feature Robotic bronchoscopy, providing lung cancer detection and diagnosis. From preventative screenings to diagnosis to treatment, along with support and survivorship, Franciscan Health Cancer Center Lafayette will be a one-stop shop for residents of the greater Lafayette area.

"The impact of our cancer center extends beyond the walls of the facility," Vought said. "As a vital hub for education, research, and community outreach, we are fostering an environment of collaboration and progress that holds the promise of a brighter, healthier future for our entire community. We look forward to the positive impact this facility will have on the community and to the opportunities it will create for collaboration and advancement in cancer care."

The Franciscan team is dedicated and compassionate – going above and beyond in caring for patients, whether it is after-hour check-in calls from a physician or even bedside visits from the president of the hospital.

Franciscan Health Lafayette East Oncology, as it is currently called, also recently earned re-accreditation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). 

To achieve CoC re-accreditation, Lafayette East Oncology underwent a site visit to confirm the program's compliance with accreditation standards that evaluate the cancer care services offered by the program.

"With this re-accreditation, residents of our community can have confidence in our hospital's ability to offer advanced treatment options and patient centered care," said Vought. "The presence of a Commission on Cancer-accredited hospital enhances the community's access to top-tier cancer care, ensuring that individuals facing cancer diagnoses have the resources and expertise they need to navigate their treatment journey effectively."

As a CoC-accredited cancer center Lafayette East Oncology applies a multidisciplinary approach and treats cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other health care professionals that specialize in caring for the cancer patient. Cancer patients benefit from having access to clinical trials, screening and prevention events, palliative care, genetic counseling, rehabilitation, oncology nutrition, and survivorship services.

Lafayette East Oncology maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Database (NCDB), a joint initiative of the CoC and the American Cancer Society.  

The NCDB is a clinical oncology database sourced from hospital registry data collected from CoC-accredited facilities. These data are used to analyze and track patients with malignant neoplastic diseases, their treatments, and their outcomes. Online reporting tools provide the program with comparative benchmarks for similar programs. In addition, the program has access to reporting tools for quality improvement, quality assurance, and surveillance. 

To schedule an appointment at Franciscan Health Lafayette East Oncology, call 765-502-4015.

About Franciscan Health

The Franciscan Alliance healthcare ministry began in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1875. Today, Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 12 hospital campuses, more than 19,000 employees and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Hospitals include: Franciscan Health Carmel; Franciscan Health Crawfordsville; Franciscan Health Crown Point; Franciscan Health Dyer; Franciscan Health Indianapolis; Franciscan Health Lafayette; Franciscan Health Michigan City; Franciscan Health Mooresville; Franciscan Health Munster; Franciscan Health Olympia Fields (Illinois); Franciscan Health Orthopedic Hospital (Carmel) and Franciscan Health Rensselaer. 

About the Commission on Cancer 

Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, visit: www.facs.org/cancer.