Courtesy Saratoga Hospital
Cancer patients in the Saratoga region are benefiting from a $6 million renovation and expansion—including a second linear accelerator—at Saratoga Hospital’s Mollie Wilmot Radiation Oncology Center.
The state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam Linear Accelerator adds significant capacity at a facility that has seen demand increase by more than 30 percent since the center opened in 2005, hospital officials said. The new LINAC also enables the Radiation Oncology Center to offer treatments that previously were not available at Saratoga Hospital.
LINACs are used to deliver radiation to treat cancer in all parts of the body.
“More than half of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy,” said Renée A. Russell, director of radiation oncology and oncology service line integration at Saratoga Hospital. “Investing in this technology is yet another example of our commitment to provide the care our community needs and deserves, close to home.”
According to the hospital, the new LINAC is the largest component of a $6 million renovation that increased radiation oncology space by about one-third. The project included enhancements to the radiation treatment planning system and creation of a dedicated oncology electronic medical record.
The renovation and expansion also added an exam room and created a new changing area for patients, central waiting space, a new nursing station, new conference room, and offices for physicians, a social worker, and chief radiation therapist.
The upgrades underscore the Radiation Oncology Center’s recognition that excellent cancer care addresses the entire patient experience, officials said.
“Everything we do reflects our understanding of how the right care team—and the right environment—can make a difference to the cancer patients we are caring for,” Russell said.