“A cancer diagnosis itself is extremely stressful, so we wanted to remove any obstacle or additional burden from our patients and their families by creating a program that gives them everything they need, in one location,” describes Dave Tatman, director of the MercyOne Dubuque Cancer Center. “We are thrilled to finally offer the comprehensive care that cancer patients deserve.”

Here is a look at what comprehensive care at the MercyOne Dubuque Cancer Center includes.

Medical Oncology ­– A patient’s journey often starts with an in-depth consultation with a medical oncologist or surgeon where a personalized treatment plan is developed. Medical oncologists utilize staging information along with the details of each patient’s individual situation to help determine the most appropriate choice of treatment. In addition to standard chemotherapy, medical oncologists utilize hormonal therapy, biotherapy and targeted agents and immunotherapy in cancer treatment.

Radiology Oncology – MercyOne’s radiation oncology team are cancer specialists with expertise in the use of radiation therapy for cancer treatment. If radiation is recommended to be part of the cancer treatment plan, the patient will initially see the radiation oncologist for a consultation. During this visit, the radiation oncologist will review medical information including any surgery that has been completed for the cancer and any other tests that have been done, such as CT and PET scans and lab tests, to determine the best radiation treatment plan.

Oncology Nurse Navigation – The nurse navigator offers personalized assistance to patients, caregivers and families across the continuum of cancer care. She serves as an advocate, educator and support person and is a consistent point of contact for patients and caregivers. She also closely collaborates with providers, social services and community agencies to define care options and resources, to plan cost effective quality care and to achieve optimal outcomes.

Oncology Dietitian – Nutritional support is an important part of the cancer journey, and a registered dietitian is an integral member of the care team. The dietitian takes a preventative approach by seeing patients shortly after diagnosis and anticipating problems, such as nutritional deficiencies due to treatment side effects, before they happen.

Palliative Care – The goal of MercyOne’s palliative care nurses is to help patients obtain their best quality of life by offering an extra layer of support with management of side effects. Many often think that palliative care is only for patients at the end of life, but that is a common misconception. Palliative care can be used in all disease stages to help patients have the best quality of life possible.

Integrative Medicine – Integrative medicine combines standard treatment with complementary therapies to care for the entire person – mind, body, and spirit. The MercyOne team is passionate about offering an array of options to those who are interested in adding complementary therapies.

Psychosocial Services – Psychosocial care also considers the whole person to address the social, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and functional aspects that result from a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Clinical trials, rehabilitation services, spiritual care, financial counseling, genetics counseling, support groups, and screening services round out MercyOne’s comprehensive cancer care.

For more information on MercyOne Dubuque Cancer Center, visit http://www.mercyone.org/dubuque/cancer-center.