Allegheny Health Network : Bringing innovative and expert care to your community
Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute Brings Expert Cancer Care to Your Community
A cancer diagnosis creates fear , confusion , and relentless questions : Will I survive ? Where do I go for the best treatment ? Will I run out of money ?
The good news is more people than ever — about 70 % — survive cancer . Unfortunately , the demands and financial costs of cancer treatment generate more stress , which can impact health , and even cause cancer to progress six times faster .
Best-in-class Treatment Allegheny Health Network ( AHN ) Cancer Institute offers a new and more integrated way to treat cancer . Our care begins with one radical idea : The patient comes first . At AHN Cancer Institute , we treat the whole person — not just the disease — by meeting the medical , financial , social , and cultural needs of the individual .
With each patient , our multidisciplinary teams of oncology experts and care professionals develop plans that optimize proven treatments , leading to the best possible outcomes . This approach reduces unnecessary tests or ineffective , possibly toxic , treatments .
Our team usually meets with the patient within three days of the initial diagnosis . We deliver this expert care right in the local community , because a hospital setting is not needed most of the time — even for complex care .
At community-based centers , patients gain :
• More time with family or at work .
• Greater comfort and safety .
• Less stress and strain on compromised immune systems .
Community-based care is more convenient and less costly . It also achieves better outcomes when expertly delivered , evidence-based treatments happen close to home .
For patients needing sophisticated procedures in a hospital setting , AHN has leading cancer experts , topquality hospitals , and specialty-based academic centers at Allegheny General Hospital and West Penn Hospital . Five AHN hospitals rank in top 25 – 30 % of all hospitals nationally for Medical Excellence in Cancer Care .*
Rare or Complex Cancers
AHN works with the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins , which provides additional benefits to our patients with rare or complex cancers . Johns Hopkins experts are available for second opinions , if needed . The collaboration broadens our education and research opportunities and connects patients to more clinical trials . Johns Hopkins looks to AHN and
Highmark to help advance its own community-based care model , research , and education .
Empowering Patients Patients who understand what to expect are better prepared to take part in their own care . They deserve providers who take time to answer their questions as often as needed .
Typically , cancer patients meet with at least 13 doctors during treatment . We coordinate care so that everyone is working for the best possible outcome .
We added Patient Navigators who work one-on-one with patients — either in person or by phone or email . They simplify the health care system by scheduling appointments and discussing treatment options . They offer support and encouragement , guiding the patient through every stage of their treatment .
We bring leading expertise in cancer care back to the community , preserving our patients ’ time , energy , and money so they can focus on what ’ s most important — getting well .
* Source : Quantros , Inc .; CareChex ® 2017 National Quality Rating Database : FFY 2013 , 2014 and 2015