Radiation Oncology at The Cancer Institute at Alexian Brothers Hospital Network

Scope of Services

Department Goals/Plans to Improve Quality of Services:

  • Provide quality radiation treatment services in a compassionate and timely manner for the patient. Provide support for family or significant others during the course of the patient’s treatment.
  • Patient identification will be accomplished by using the patient’s name and date of birth for each encounter.
  • Provide cancer education for the patients.
  • Improve patient satisfaction as measured by the patient satisfaction survey developed by Radiation Oncology Consultants, Limited
  • To provide continuing education to staff and to provide at least four educational opportunities on site a year.
  • All patients who do not show-up for their initial consultation, daily treatment, or follow up visit and have not called in to cancel or reschedule will be called by the nurse or the radiation oncologist.
  • All patients will be contacted by a nurse within the week following completion of their treatment
  • Staff will wear their nametags at patient’s eye level.

Type of patients served:

Radiation therapy is provided for in-patients and out patients who range in age from 16 to 90+

Scope and complexity of the patients care needs:

Radiation therapy is primarily used to treat patients with a cancer diagnosis. Radiation is also used for patients with vascular disease, hetertropic hip disease, other benign diseases and keloid scars.

Following is a list of the types of procedures that are offered in Radiation Oncology:

  • Initial consultation
  • Follow up office visits
  • Simulations
  • Treatment Planning
  • External beam radiation treatment including 3D conformal radiation treatment and IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy)
  • Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) is offered at St. Alexius, but not at ABMC
  • High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy for patients with Gynecological, Prostate, and Breast Cancer
  • Interstitial Brachytherapy, which may be performed in Surgery.
  • Intracavitary Brachytherapy, which may be performed in Surgery or in the Radiation Oncology Services Department.
  • Intravasular Brachytherapy in the Cath Lab
  • Ultrasound for volume studies in Radiation Oncology
  • Ultrasound guided Prostate seed implants, which are performed in Surgery
  • Metastrom, Samarian and Quadramet injections for metastatic bone pain
  • Zevalin injections for patients with Lymphoma
  • Lupron injections for patients with Prostate Cancer
  • Draw specimens for Laboratory testing

The following services for our patients are provided in the Life Enrichment Center:

  • Chaplain support
  • Social Worker
  • Dietitian
  • Massage therapy

Extent to which the level of care/services provided meets patient and family needs:

Radiation Oncology Services are offered in accordance with the Mission and Values of the Medical Centers. Our goal is to treat the patient’s radiation needs along with their spiritual, social and nutritional needs. Massage therapy is also provided. Many educational and supportive services such as Support Groups, Yoga, Reiki, Tai Chi, and Art Therapy are provided in the Life Enrichment Center for patients and their family members.

Chicago Brachytherapy, LLC, provides high Dose Rate equipment.

Radiation Oncologists provide care to patients at Illinois Gamma Knife.

Medical Physicists provide support to patients at Illinois Gamma Knife.

Radiation Oncology staff work with Operating Room staff to provide patients with prostate seed implants, interstitial and intracavitary radiation.

Radiation Oncology staff work with Cath Lab staff to provide Intravasular Brachytherapy.

Appropriateness, clinical necessity and timeliness of support services provided directly by the organization or through referral contracts:

Radiation Oncology patients are referred by medical oncologists, surgeons, primary care physicians, gynecologists and other specialists. During the initial consultation a nurse and a radiation oncologist will take a detailed history. A radiation oncologist will meet with the patient and their significant others to discuss the value of using radiation therapy. Once the radiation oncologist determines that radiation therapy is indicated, the patient will be given the choice of whether or not to proceed with treatment. A treatment planning session is scheduled. At that point the patient will be given a consent form to authorize radiation treatment.

Initial consultations are scheduled immediately when it is necessary. The goal is to schedule other patients for consultation within 48 hours (excluding weekends) unless a patient requests a specific radiation oncologist who is not available within 48 hours.

In-patients are seen within 24 hours.