General News
A new comprehensive cancer center in Lillington will soon break ground, bringing new radiation oncology services to the Harnett Health campus.
The expansion of medical oncology services and the addition of radiation oncology services have been planned and long-awaited, according to Cory Hess, President of Harnett Health. The area’s aging demographic and growing population, especially in the Lillington area, have pointed to the need to expand the cancer center in Harnett County.
“There is a growing number of patients who need oncology services in Harnett County. Currently, they are driving or being driven to Fayetteville or Raleigh,” said Hess.
Radiation oncology services are needed by almost half of all cancer patients in the course of their treatment. The new center will serve all of Harnett County, but will meet the greatest need with the growth in Lillington.
“Our clinic has grown exponentially,” Hess said. “Some days we are at capacity, and we’ve seen an uptick in patients needing oncology services. It makes sense to have a comprehensive cancer center in Lillington,” said Hess. “This center will be adjacent to the Central Harnett Hospital on the Lillington campus.”
Currently, the Harnett Health Cancer Center is located inside Central Harnett Hospital. A new stand-alone facility will also give patients a more seamless appointment process and easier access to their doctors and treatments without having to go inside the larger hospital. Over at Dunn, near Betsy Johnson hospital, the Harnett Health Breast Care Center, which is nationally accredited by the American College of Radiology for Mammography Services, will continue to provide mammograms as well.
Kanwar Singh, the Executive Corporate Director of Oncology Services, who oversees all cancer centers in the Cape Fear Valley Health System.
“Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in this country,” Singh said. “This is not a service sought on an elective basis. If it happens, we want you to have high-level care with necessary services close to home.”
Singh says it’s not always possible to find a cancer center close to home, but strategically locating this new addition in a growing area will help patients.
“These are daily or weekly treatments with follow-up appointments,” Singh said. “It can be a lot of travel for patients, especially those who have to travel on a day-to-day basis. This will help to bring those treatments closer to them.”
The hospital does help with transportation services on a need-by-need basis through a grant given by the American Cancer Society. However, the frequency of travel can put a strain on patients.
According to Kelli Stewart, who helps administer the transportation vouchers for the hospital, the vouchers are measured in one-way trips. There have been over 930 one-way trip vouchers given out since May.
Hess said the health system hopes to recruit and retain more specialists in the Lillington area, including at least one radiation oncology provider to add to the current staff. Dr. Madhuri Vithala is the medical oncologist at the current Harnett Health Cancer Center.
“We will have dedicated physicians at each site. These are highly technical services, and we want to offer our patients the best care,” said Singh.
