May 31, 2006
New DF/BWCC cancer unit at Faulkner Hospital nears completion
Ben Dawson and Mary Barry usher in the new clinic at Faulkner Hospital
When cancer patient Mary Barry and benefactor Ben Dawson cut the ribbon outside an infusion room in the new Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center (DF/BWCC) at Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plan, they were ushering in a unique marriage of academic and community medicine.
The May 23 ceremony celebrated the partnership of three institutions and a four-year journey to a new and collaborative way of caring for those facing cancer. Barry, a Dana-Farber breast cancer patient, looks forward to receiving care at Faulkner Hospital from her Dana-Farber and Faulkner oncologist, Leroy Parker, MD. Before cutting the ribbon, she said she was honored to represent cancer patients at all sites, describing the DF/BWCC staff as "compassionate, caring and competent."
The 13,000-square-foot facility, slated to open in late June, is twice the size of the previous Faulkner oncology unit, offering expanded space for infusion, exams, reception and support services. Many rooms have a peaceful view of the Arnold Arboretum across the street from the hospital, a 150-bed facility just 3.4 miles from the Longwood Medical Area. Patients and families were included in the planning process to make sure the space was friendly and supportive.
Photos of the construction process
Photos of the completed facility
"Take a look around you," Gary Gottlieb, MD, president of Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), urged the 200 guests. "Here is a place that might be easier for you to get to, and offers light, trees, and the best brains."
Under the arrangement, all of Faulkner's cancer patients have become Dana-Farber patients, keeping the same care team but gaining access to a broader array of support services and opportunities to participate in clinical research. Similarly, as several Dana-Farber oncologists begin seeing patients at Faulkner Hospital, those with breast, gastrointestinal or thoracic cancer can choose to receive care there if they find it more convenient. Open houses will be held for staff and patients in June.
Emblem of the future
At the ceremony, leaders praised the new venture as they looked forward and back. Geoffrey Sherwood, MD, medical director of the current Faulkner unit as well as the new unit, briefly traced its history since it opened in 1981 and was named for the Dawson family, pointing out that several clinicians have staffed the unit since then, including himself. "This is the conclusion of a very proud, Faulkner-only clinic," he said, "but the beginning of a premier cancer center with a wealth of clinical talent and wisdom."
Faulkner Hospital President David Trull remembered how Faulkner became a community hospital partner of BWH in 1997. "We've had a good run," he said. "Now, we celebrate a new partnership as we begin to offer first-class cancer care right here on this campus."
Lawrence Shulman, MD, Dana-Farber's chief medical officer, said the unit signified a marriage of academic and community medicine, and Dana-Farber President Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, described the new facility as an emblem of future cancer care. "For several years now, we have had a vision of care that went beyond the corners of Longwood and Brookline Avenue," he said. "Patients say they love our care, but it's sometimes hard for them to get here. And, our clinical volume has grown so much that we needed to expand our service. So, unique as it is to have three institutions come together like this, we have shown that the partnership gives us an enhanced way to provide care and do clinical research."
Monica Fulton, RN, nurse program leader for the clinic, joked that she feels as though she has been pregnant for 15 months, and is now finally delivering her child. Fulton is part of a planning committee comprising clinicians and administrators working on such details as making sure patients' medical records and laboratory reports can be accessed at all locations.
"I take pride in this opportunity to work with staff from all sites, and have already formed strong friendships here at Faulkner," Fulton said. "I can understand why it's known as 'Friendly Faulkner.'"
- Christine Cleary
Christine_cleary@dfci.harvard.edu