UAB Radiation Oncology, Rays of Hope Volume 5 issue 1 | Page 9

READY, SET, PREP
Proton Readiness Engagement Planning Team Kicks Off
PREP Team Members:
By: Mark Lemak  | Executive Administrator 
The announcement that a proton therapy center would be constructed on the
UAB Medical Campus was music to the ears of faculty and staff that have studied
this possibility during the last 12 years.  With the project offi cially underway, we
have formed a team to assist with planning and preparation of the new facility.
The center will be constructed and
operated by Proton International of
Alabama (PIA) under the medical
direction of the UAB Department of
Radiation Oncology.   The center will be
named “Proton International at UAB”.
Construction of the center is expected to
take 24 months.   The goal is to treat the
first proton patient in January 2020.
     PIA will install Varian equipment,
software and controls in the center
making it operate similarly to UAB
Medicine’s other radiation oncology
facilities.  Additionally, a team of
department faculty and staff will work
closely with project planners and
engineers to oversee the development of
patient care processes.  
     “We expect proton therapy patients to
have the same outstanding patient care
experience in this clinic as they see in
HSROC and Acton Road,” reported Ginna
Blaylock, Director of Clinical Operations. 
Physicians:  John Fiveash & Sharon Spencer
Residents:  Ashlyn Everett & Rodney Sullivan
Physicists:  Rex Cardan & Richard Popple
Dosimetry & Therapy:  Heather Smith
Patient Access:  Crystal Parsons
Clinical Operations & Billing:  Ginna Blaylock
Administration:  Mark Lemak & Lindsay Pruett
Patrick Boggs, Joey Slatsky, and Sunny Scott will
lend their skills to the project as needed for
human resources, financial business, and
communications.
     A project team was formed and has
started working with PIA.   The team
known as the Proton Readiness
Engagement Planning (PREP) Team will
work on clinical program development
and implementation.  The team will
closely coordinate its activities with PIA. 
The team will be responsible for reporting
progress on the project to all members of
the department.
     A monthly proton center update will be
distributed via email to all department
faculty, residents and staff.  A webcam
has been installed at the construction site
that will allow everyone to see progress
that is happening there.
     UAB Radiation Oncology as a whole
is a solid team.  Faculty and staff
throughout the department will ultimately
play a role in making the proton center a
success.
The web address to watch building progress is: http://uabcamera.protonintl.com
UAB.EDU/RADONC | 8