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44 Medical Construction & Design | M AY/ J U N E 2017 | MCDM AG.COM help relieve stress and anxiety. It's like- ly these options will be requirements in the future of cancer treatment. We are devoting spaces for sup- port groups, physical therapy, art and music therapy, an education area with computers, a nature garden and more. Healthcare literature indicates improved patient outcomes resulting from a multidisciplinary approach to planning treatment for patients, and starting with initial diagnosis and continuing through palliative care or survivorship of follow-up care. Patients are given control to room temperature, lighting, entertainment, food choices, gowns and privacy with- in patient rooms. Design elements, such as healing gardens, courtyards and welcoming entries, are not new concepts but are essential in creating a calm and soothing atmosphere to develop a positive experience for all occupants within the center and to lessen patient anxiety. "With advancements in diagnosis and treatment options, patients are being diagnosed earlier and treated for longer periods of time," said Lynn Whitehair, director of Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center – Waxahachie, located in Texas. "A diagnosis that at one time would require follow up for 10 years may now require follow up for 20 years. Thinking about survivorship and pa- tient follow-up is an important part of comprehensive cancer centers today, and will be in the future." Role of telemedicine, technology Technology in the form of telemedicine and patient location are two additional key considerations in both care delivery and patient throughput. Due to today's billings regulations, physicians cannot bill a patient unless the visit is a face-to-face encounter. However, in the future, as healthcare changes, Dr. Bhatia predicts tele- medicine healthcare services will likely increase. This would allow for patients to call physicians through telephone conferences instead of coming in to the clinic for a visit. All cancer care fa- cilities would potentially need to have rooms that are fl exible to support this type of service in the future. For the patients who continue visiting the clinical setting, real- time location systems will improve processes that will encourage new staffi ng models and reduce space requirements at various patient interface locations like waiting and reception. RTLS technology ultimately results in a more expedited patient visit and improved patient satisfaction. Leveraging the information provided by the RTLS enables facilities to increase throughput and automate many of the manual processes typically associated with cancer center workfl ow. In addition to improving workfl ow on a daily basis, data can be compiled over time and can be used as an indicator of facilities' operational performance. The real- time information and automation of processes will support new staffi ng models and space requirements at various facility locations. Healthcare is an ever-changing industry. The advancements in cancer treatment and technology are aff ecting how a comprehensive cancer center is conceived. New treatment methods and improved technologies suggest large, comprehensive cancer centers could see a change in demand and clinical use. Flexibility of programs within cancer centers will be essential to a successful design of the centers. In addition to fl exibility, other important design factors, such as alternative amenities, wellness options and improved technology, which includes RTLS, need to be taken into consideration. These elements contribute to relieving patient and family stress and anxiety, while ensuring new facilities are not obsolete prior to their anticipated lifespan. Andy Lane is an associate vice president at CallisonRTKL. This diagram shows the integrated fl exible model of infusion and oncology exam space versus a traditional non-integrated model. Integrated Flexible Model Non-Integrated Model