New Center to Combine All Cancer Services in One Location

Soon, people who live in the Columbus area will be able to receive all their cancer treatment in one convenient location.

Columbus Community Hospital plans to build an estimated 25,000-square-foot cancer center on the land directly west of the hospital’s emergency room. It will include infusion services and space for two medical practices — Columbus Radiation Oncology and Hematology & Oncology Consultants.

“This new cancer center will help us provide our patients with seamless service,” said Keith Luedders, the hospital’s vice president for ancillary services. “It will also allow us to offer the latest advanced technology to people who are fighting cancer.”

Those improvements include:

• Varian TrueBeam – Varian TrueBeam therapy is a precise and powerful cancer treatment that combines the technology of radiotherapy and radiosurgery. This linear accelerator externally delivers a prescribed radiation dose from nearly any angle. It combines imaging and beam delivery with technology that rotates around patients to accurately and precisely target tumors with great speed. Real-time imaging tools allow clinicians to "see" the tumor they are treating, and respiratory gating enables clinicians to synchronize beam delivery with patients' breathing.

• PET/CT – A PET (positron emission tomography) scan uses a radioactive drug called a tracer to detect diseases before they show up on other imaging tests. A PET scan is an effective way to help discover a variety of health conditions, including cancer. CCH currently provides PET/CT; however, it is on a mobile truck that only comes to Columbus once per week.

• Infusion services – Our infusion services are currently on the second floor of the hospital in a cramped location that does not adequately allow for our patients’ privacy. The new building will have private rooms for our hospital infusion patients. Infusion services will also occupy a bigger space to meet our community’s needs.

“This center will give our patients access to cancer services typically only found in larger communities,” said Mike Hansen, president and CEO of Columbus Community Hospital. “This is a rare example of a project that benefits everyone — our patients, their families, the entire community and all physicians in this area.”

The cancer center will be a big step forward for Columbus, said Julie Haney, president of the Columbus Community Hospital board of directors.

“The development of a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center at Columbus Community Hospital represents a significant advancement for our community’s health care services,” she said. “Having comprehensive cancer care in one location will provide convenience, comfort and critical resources to patients and their families right here at home. We are grateful for the hospital’s forward-thinking approach, and its dedication to enhancing the quality of life for those facing cancer in Columbus and the surrounding area."

Hospital leaders hope to start construction on the new cancer center in spring 2025.