Slidell Memorial Hospital broke ground on the new regional cancer center in August 2009, and celebrated its grand opening in January 2011. The new center centralizes all of the current cancer treatments underway at SMH and is located next to Founders Medical Building on Robert Blvd. directly across Gause Blvd. from the hospital. Its location within close proximity to the hospital gives patients convenient access to both inpatient and outpatient services.
Area voters overwhelmingly approved the proposal in Nov. 2007 in support of a $17.5-million tax millage to create the new cancer facility. Due to the population increase in the area, the center could be built with existing millage rates while homeowners saw no increase in their tax rates.
The new center has drawn patients from the entire Gulf South, an exciting opportunity for both patients and physicians. In addition to the quality care this brought to the community, the center has generated jobs, both during construction and in staffing the center.
Most importantly, the Cancer Center at SMH brings hope and healing to cancer patients and their families in our community.. Slidell Memorial Cancer Services Program,accredited and designated as a Community Cancer Center Program by the American College of Surgeons,combines the expertise of an outstanding staff of specialists and nurses,with the most advanced treatment and technology to diagnose,treat and rehabilitate patients. SMH has invested millions in cutting-edge technology to bring the most advanced radiation therapy available to our patients.
IGRT with RapidArc Technology SMH was one of the first hospitals in the country and the first in the Gulf South to use Image-Guided Radiation Therapy,or IGRT,the most precise treatment for tumors in the world. The machine provides both radiosurgery and radiation treatment capabilities. It delivers higher radiation doses directly to tumor cells,leaving healthy tissue protected,and resulting in successful treatments for many patients.
SMH's IGRT system is powered with RapidArc technology,a linear accelerator system which continuously targets the radiation from virtually every angle in a 360-degree revolution around the patient. IGRT with RapidArc delivers treatment two to eight times faster than before.
High Dose Brachytherapy Brachytherapy directs intense radiation directly into cancer cells via a catheter in the site of the tumor,causing no residual radiation and virtually no side effects. This treatment shortens the course of radiation from many weeks or months to only a few days.
In conjunction with SMH's outstanding imaging services,the Cancer Center utilizes advanced equipment to provide faster,more accurate diagnosis to patients and their doctors,resulting in the best possible outcomes.
Since January 2011,a new Regional Cancer Center at SMH has provided a centralized location for patient treatment for greater coordination of care and convenience for cancer patients in the region.