Dr. Michael Caligiuri
Q&A with Dr. Michael A. Caligiuri of The James Cancer Center and Solove Research Institute
November 20, 2014
by Sean Ruck, Contributing Editor
Dr. Michael A. Caligiuri,director at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and CEO for The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, took some time out of an increasingly busy schedule to update
HCBN about the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, slated to open on December 15. When it opens, it will be the third largest cancer hospital in the U.S.
HCBN: The design of the new Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital offers a lot of details that will provide a better experience for patients. Can you discuss some of these details?
MC: The facility was designed to arm talented cancer subspecialist physicians and staff with the newest technologies and techniques to provide the highest quality and safest care to our patients.
Each inpatient room in the new James is a private room with ample space for the patient and their loved ones. The rooms incorporate the newest technologies but provide patients with a relaxed and comfortable healing environment.
Each inpatient unit is also dedicated to a specific type of cancer, allowing for all of the physicians, nurses, pharmacists and clinical staff to focus on the specific needs for those particular patients.
The terrace gardens on the 14th floor will allow access for patients, their loved ones as well as faculty and staff to experience the outside with incredible views and fresh air. Similarly, there are several areas of respite where patients and family members can take time to be alone with their thoughts or to pray.
In addition, the new James incorporates a cancer-specific emergency department integrated within the larger Medical Center emergency department allowing any cancer patient to receive urgent care more tailored for their specific needs.
HCBN: A lot of the design elements in the center have a focus on green design. Was there an individual or group that pushed for these aspects?
MC: Physicians, staff, patient and patient families all pushed for a more open layout to the building. There are a great number of windows throughout the building that allow natural light. Further, the views from the patient floors are spectacular. The James Radiation Oncology Center is especially unique as it is one of only two such centers in the world above ground. Normally, these facilities where patients receive radiation therapy are in the basement given the weight of the instruments and shielding. However, through a $100M federal grant awarded to the James, unique architectural design and engineering allowed us to create the facility not just above ground, but on the second floor of the building.
HCBN: Is there any cutting-edge technology you’d like to discuss and highlight?
MC: In terms of technology specifically, the surgical floor is equipped with 14 operating room suites that will incorporate technologies such as robotics and intra-operative MRI. Each treatment vault is equipped with new Varian True Beam linear accelerators. The radiology facilities will bring the newest technologies available for identifying and imaging tumors. This is coupled with the six interventional radiology suites also incorporating the newest instrumentation and capabilities. Each inpatient floor also has research laboratories that will support our molecular analyses capabilities.
HCBN: Are there any specific nearterm or long-term goals for the new facility that you care to discuss?
MC: First and foremost, we would like to work ourselves out of a job – we want a cancer-free world. And I honestly believe it’s not that far off. We’ve already seen amazing discoveries and treatments even within that past five years…some of which started at OSU. Patients who previously would have been handed a death sentence are now beating their disease, and we need to keep moving in that direction. We need to continue pushing forward with cancer research, continue recruiting the best and brightest cancer experts from around the world — just keep at the fight. Because we really can win this, I truly believe it. There is no such thing as routine cancer, so there can be no such thing as routine treatment. One by one, patient by patient, we are getting there.
Click here to view the hospital spotlight pictorial of The James Cancer Center
HCBN about the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, slated to open on December 15. When it opens, it will be the third largest cancer hospital in the U.S.
HCBN: The design of the new Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital offers a lot of details that will provide a better experience for patients. Can you discuss some of these details?
MC: The facility was designed to arm talented cancer subspecialist physicians and staff with the newest technologies and techniques to provide the highest quality and safest care to our patients.
Each inpatient room in the new James is a private room with ample space for the patient and their loved ones. The rooms incorporate the newest technologies but provide patients with a relaxed and comfortable healing environment.
Each inpatient unit is also dedicated to a specific type of cancer, allowing for all of the physicians, nurses, pharmacists and clinical staff to focus on the specific needs for those particular patients.
The terrace gardens on the 14th floor will allow access for patients, their loved ones as well as faculty and staff to experience the outside with incredible views and fresh air. Similarly, there are several areas of respite where patients and family members can take time to be alone with their thoughts or to pray.
In addition, the new James incorporates a cancer-specific emergency department integrated within the larger Medical Center emergency department allowing any cancer patient to receive urgent care more tailored for their specific needs.
HCBN: A lot of the design elements in the center have a focus on green design. Was there an individual or group that pushed for these aspects?
MC: Physicians, staff, patient and patient families all pushed for a more open layout to the building. There are a great number of windows throughout the building that allow natural light. Further, the views from the patient floors are spectacular. The James Radiation Oncology Center is especially unique as it is one of only two such centers in the world above ground. Normally, these facilities where patients receive radiation therapy are in the basement given the weight of the instruments and shielding. However, through a $100M federal grant awarded to the James, unique architectural design and engineering allowed us to create the facility not just above ground, but on the second floor of the building.
HCBN: Is there any cutting-edge technology you’d like to discuss and highlight?
MC: In terms of technology specifically, the surgical floor is equipped with 14 operating room suites that will incorporate technologies such as robotics and intra-operative MRI. Each treatment vault is equipped with new Varian True Beam linear accelerators. The radiology facilities will bring the newest technologies available for identifying and imaging tumors. This is coupled with the six interventional radiology suites also incorporating the newest instrumentation and capabilities. Each inpatient floor also has research laboratories that will support our molecular analyses capabilities.
HCBN: Are there any specific nearterm or long-term goals for the new facility that you care to discuss?
MC: First and foremost, we would like to work ourselves out of a job – we want a cancer-free world. And I honestly believe it’s not that far off. We’ve already seen amazing discoveries and treatments even within that past five years…some of which started at OSU. Patients who previously would have been handed a death sentence are now beating their disease, and we need to keep moving in that direction. We need to continue pushing forward with cancer research, continue recruiting the best and brightest cancer experts from around the world — just keep at the fight. Because we really can win this, I truly believe it. There is no such thing as routine cancer, so there can be no such thing as routine treatment. One by one, patient by patient, we are getting there.
Click here to view the hospital spotlight pictorial of The James Cancer Center