Partners in progress
Jouella Perkins is, unfortunately, particularly well-qualified to judge the oncology services at Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital. She first became a patient in 2012 when she was diagnosed with smoldering multiple myeloma, which progressed to full-blown multiple myeloma in 2016.
“The people have always been wonderful, so compassionate and knowledgeable. You build a bond over the years, and they are like family to me,” said Perkins, who still undergoes weekly infusion treatments.
While she has always considered the care at Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital to be exceptional, Perkins said the new, 19,000-square-foot Cancer Center that opened in July is truly a shining jewel. “It is so open, bright and cheerful,” she said. “It’s very uplifting, which really has a positive impact on your mood.”
The new center is a dream come true not only for patients, but also for those who have worked tirelessly to bring the best care to those in Paducah, western Kentucky and the broader region, said John Montville, executive director of oncology. “This is something we have wanted and needed for so long,” he said. “The new building has tripled the amount of infusion space and tripled the number of exam rooms. Our wait times are way down.”
The facility was designed with input from patients and staff who voiced their opinions on everything from the patient flow through the building to the placement of workstations. It also features works from the local art community.
Mercy Health–Lourdes Hospital joined the Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network (MCCAN) in 2020, in part to help build its growing oncology program and to continue to improve access to care. In addition to the new Cancer Center, construction will begin soon on a state-of-the-art radiation treatment facility.
“It is so open, bright, and cheerful. It’s very uplifting, which really has a positive impact on your mood.”
“It’s been a 10-year battle to get our certificate of need approved for radiotherapy,” Montville said. “Having UK and MCCAN at our side has been instrumental in our quest to become a full, comprehensive cancer center.”
“We are thrilled whenever our sites are able to expand their programs and services.”
The road has been long but rewarding for all. “We were there for the groundbreaking of the new Cancer Center and when they opened the facility. The new facility makes the experience for cancer patients and caregivers a better one,”said Cheri Tolle, MAEd, CHES, administrative director of MCCAN.
Without support from organizations such as UK and MCCAN, providing care to such a large geographic region would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, said oncologist William Skinner, MD, medical director of oncology at Lourdes Hospital.
“We’re in a town of 25,000 to 30,000 people but we draw from an area with close to 300,000 in population,” he said. “That presents a lot of unique challenges, and while our oncology program has been robust, the affiliation with MCCAN helped us achieve our Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation in 2023.”
The relationship with MCCAN also was the impetus for Montville’s recent appointment to a CoC committee that is developing a separate set of accreditation standards for rural hospitals. “Smaller, rural programs don’t have the resources that urban hospitals have,” he explained. “During our accreditation process, the guidance from MCCAN and Dr. Mullett (MCCAN medical director) was invaluable. I’m able to share some of that experience with the committee as we work to establish appropriate standards for rural hospitals so that they can bring high-quality care to more underserved communities.”
There isn’t a week that goes by that Montville doesn’t have contact with someone from MCCAN, he said, whether it’s to discuss new ideas and programs or the design of new facilities. “I love the fact that both of our organizations have never lost sight of our mission, which is to provide great care for cancer patients. We are a good match.”
