MidMichigan Health to bring together oncological care offerings at new Comprehensive Cancer Center

MidMichigan Health will be opening a new, centralized location for its cancer care services in Midland. The Comprehensive Cancer Center will stand at the current site of the Towsley Building, located on the campus of MidMichigan Medical Center – Midland. To accommodate the new Center, the Towsley Building will be rebuilt from within and modernized to fit the needs of oncological care.

The MidMichigan Health Board of Directors has approved the $61.5 million project to fund the Comprehensive Cancer Center construction. The health system is awaiting approval of its certificate of need (CON) by the Michigan Department of Community Health prior to commencing the two-year construction project, planned for spring 2022. 

Patients receiving cancer care at the future Center will have access to specialists in various health disciplines, allowing for streamlined care and reducing the need for appointments at offices spread out throughout the city or even out of town. The Center will prioritize patient comfort and accessibility.
The new Center allows us to consolidate our services and provide care in a one-stop location
“Our vision for a Comprehensive Cancer Center here at MidMichigan brings cancer care into one location, creating an exceptional patient experience with all the necessary care our patients need under one roof,” says Diane Postler-Slattery, Ph.D., FACHE, president and CEO, MidMichigan Health, in a press release. “The new Center will give us the space for multiple specialists to see the patient on the same day, collaborate and provide the patient a plan of care without multiple appointments at multiple locations.”

According to Joan Herbert, Pharm.D., oncology service line director for MidMichigan Health, the Comprehensive Cancer Center will include oncologists, radiation oncologists and specialty surgeons. The health system’s cancer care providers are specialists in managing breast, lung, esophageal, colon, genitourinary and gynecologic cancers. MidMichigan’s oncological program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) and is a recipient of the Accreditation for Program Excellence (APEx) from the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology.

The Comprehensive Cancer Center will stand at the current site of the Towsley Building.The Center will serve as a hub for the health system’s comprehensive cancer care program, with a team of 23 specialist providers, certified oncology nurses, radiation therapists, diagnostic and treatment technology, clinical trials and support services. At the Comprehensive Cancer Center, patients and families will also be able to access the social workers, care navigators, genetic counselors, nutritionists, physical therapists, mental health professionals, financial counseling, and support groups essential to fostering wellbeing during recovery.

MidMichigan plans to add several more specialty surgeons over the next couple of years, focusing on expanding expertise in colorectal, thoracic and general surgical oncology. Leveraging MidMichigan’s existing relationship with Michigan Medicine, the health care division of the University of Michigan, will allow for additional access to gyn-oncology and uro-oncology specialists.

The Infusion Center and the MidMichigan Physicians Group Hematology/Oncology Office, now located at 4500 Campus Ridge, will be moving into the new Cancer Center. MidMichigan Health is reviewing future sites for each office currently housed in the Towsley Building.

“It is not uncommon for a patient to have a laboratory draw, diagnostic imaging test, an office visit with their medical oncologist, as well as chemotherapy and radiation treatment all within a single day’s visit,” explains Herbert. “This can be stressful and overwhelming for both the patient and their family member or caregiver. The new Center allows us to consolidate our services and provide care in a one-stop location that is designed with comfortable amenities and surrounded by warm, finishing touches.”
Patients receiving cancer care at the future Center will have access to specialists in various health disciplines
Amenities for patients and families at the new Center will include comfortable furnishings, a serene selection of décor colors and artwork, open spaces with nature views, heated infusion chairs, fireplace, coffee station, and Wi-Fi. “Providing comfortable spaces to our patients and families is one of our guiding principles,” says Herbert.

The MidMichigan Health Foundation is accepting public donations to fund the building project online at http://www.midmichigan.org/cancercenter or by phone at (989) 839-1932. The MidMichigan Health website includes additional information about the comprehensive cancer program.

“At MidMichigan, we offer a full continuum of cancer care and this new facility will allow us to provide an environment where that care is seamless, coordinated and convenient for our patients and their families,” says Herbert. “When a person hears the word cancer, we want to be their go-to-place for care by offering the latest technology and the brightest medical and surgical talent at our Comprehensive Cancer Center – close to home.”