The proposed radiation oncology facility in Spring Hill, above, is expected to look much like existing Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center treatment facilities in Franklin and Clarksville.
Spring Hill radiation facility approved
The Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency has approved the bid from Vanderbilt Health Services and Maury Regional Hospital to build a freestanding facility for radiation oncology in the Parkway Business Center off Old Port Royal Road in Spring Hill.
The $7.4 million Vanderbilt/Maury Regional facility will feature a new linear accelerator with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and a computerized tomographic (CT) simulation scanner.
“We are pleased to be able to provide enhanced radiation oncology services to patients in this fast-growing region of Middle Tennessee,” said Dennis Hallahan, M.D., chair of Radiation Oncology at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
“Cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy need daily treatments for approximately seven to eight weeks, which is often difficult for patients and their families. Providing a radiation therapy center closer to their homes will improve the quality of life for patients during this stressful time in their lives.”
Vanderbilt-Ingram officials say the linear accelerators on campus already are operating at capacity.
In recent years, Vanderbilt-Ingram has opened free-standing centers in Clarksville and Franklin to alleviate congestion in Nashville and to provide more convenient radiation oncology services to patients in those areas.
Spring Hill and a nine-county region south of Nashville are the newest population centers slated to receive this expanded service.
“Maury Regional Hospital has been providing radiation oncology services to patients with our two linear accelerators, but the partnership with Vanderbilt will enable us to treat more patients close to home,” said Robert Otwell, chief executive officer of Maury Regional Hospital.
The anticipated business relationship between Maury Regional Hospital and Vanderbilt calls for joint participation in radiation oncology services and will allow sharing of resources.
The Vanderbilt/Maury Regional facility is slated to start offering services to patients by 2010.