Richard Goldberg, MD
Physician-in-Chief
The new James—it’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s equipped with the latest technology, and it will enable us to provide the most sophisticated care. When touring the building, I’m reminded at every turn that delivering cancer care these days is a very high-tech proposition. The technological wonders include a dedicated MRI scanner located between the neurosurgical operating rooms, allowing delivery of radiation in the operating room; intensive care beds that have the latest technology; and new linear accelerators that deliver radiation that is tightly focused on tumors, thereby sparing healthy tissue.
Although the building houses state-of-the-art technology, we also gave thought to the human needs of our patients, their families and friends, and of our teams of cancer experts.
Experts in design helped us engineer the spaces to foster the subspecialty model that we believe 21st-century cancer care demands. Our patient-care areas are designed to bring teams of medical experts trained in delivering all aspects of care together with people who have specific types of cancer. The objective is to help focus the attention of multiple specialized practitioners on each patient.
Amy Tootle, BSN, RN
Asst. Nurse Manager, Blood and Marrow Transplant Unit
The attractive, spacious, state-of-the-art patient rooms offered by the new James provide ideal nursing conditions and a safe, healing environment. Large windows offer breathtaking views that are calming and comforting. The standardized room design supports quality care and promotes better patient outcomes. Disease-specific units foster evidence-based practice and innovative care.
Relationship Based Care underpins the practice of nursing at The James. It focuses on care of patients, care of colleagues and care of self. All inpatient rooms include patient lifts to decrease work-related injuries, and all units include respite areas for patients, family members and staff. The research space on all inpatient units encourages professional team building and professional development.
In addition, multiple spaces are designated for multidisciplinary teams to meet, which should enhance communication, safety and quality. Terrace gardens located on the north and south sides of the building further enhance this caring and healing environment.
Other exciting innovations include an oncology emergency department that will open this spring. This new facility should enhance patient care and satisfaction. In the end, that is what nursing is all about.
Amber Gordon, MLS
Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
I am very excited that the integration of research and clinical care is an important focus of the new James. Each inpatient floor has translational laboratory space so that we can, quite literally, close the gap between bench and bedside. These spaces will help push translational research at The James to a new level.
The new facility, equipped with the latest technology, along with the growing incorporation of genomic medicine and strong emphasis on targeted-drug development and clinical trials, will improve patient access to the latest research and technologies that we are using in the fight against cancer.
I’m also impressed about the level of thought that went into effective floor planning. All the operating rooms are on the same floor, which allows for quick equipment transfer, and the clinical trials processing laboratory shares the same floor as the units that administer experimental therapies to patients. This will facilitate good communication, ensure accurate sample collection and expedite specimen processing, all critical factors when developing safe and efficient novel therapeutics.
Overall, the design features of the new James will increase the efficiency of our clinical and translational research, which in turn should accelerate the discovery and development of novel therapeutics and their delivery to the patients who need them.