TREATING CANCER WITH CARE

At the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute (RBOI) in The Villages, cancer care goes beyond the latest medical treatments and equipment. It extends to taking interest in their patients’ emotional and safety needs. That’s why Dr. Robert Purdon, a radiation oncologist, joined RBOI last year after having a highly successful career in Tavares for 30 years.

“We are a facility dedicated to high quality patient care. Our two biggest concerns are improving our patients’ quality of life and safety,” he says. “We don’t cut any corners.”

To ensure RBOI patients receive the best care, Dr. Purdon says they employ the best staff and make sure a person’s overall wellness is No. 1. They were the first radiation oncology provider in the area accredited by the American College of Radiology. That means that RBOI has met widely accepted quality assurance standards, while using the most advanced technologies and techniques.

In addition, they have social workers who work in the office to offer support to not only the patients but also their families, and they help patients with details such as rides to appointments and insurance questions. For the staff at RBOI, it’s about considering the whole person, not just treating their cancer. Not a day goes by that Dr. Purdon doesn’t hear positive feedback from patients.

“Patients will tell me they’re so happy they came here or how they wish all doctors could be like us,” he says. “We make everyone who comes here feel like family. A lot of times our patients are coming to us every day for four to nine weeks of treatment.

Then they come back for follow-ups and sometimes they may need additional treatment. That’s a very long commitment, so we do our best to build those relationships and make people as comfortable as possible.”

Being able to make a difference in people’s lives is what drives Dr. Purdon every day. For example, this past summer when he was biking across America from Yorktown, Virginia, to Florence, Oregon, Dr. Purdon couldn’t help but think about returning to his patients.

“I really missed taking care of them and collaborating with my colleagues,” he says. “They were kind enough and generous enough to let me have that time to do that ride, but the entire time I was wanting to get back to my patients.”

That love for what he does encourages Dr. Purdon to push himself to continue learning and growing for the betterment of his patients and team.

“You’re either green and growing or brown and rotting,” he says with a laugh.

At the end of the day, he explains a doctor doesn’t go into their specialty looking for money or bankers’ hours. It’s about the people.

“Cancer is a life-changing event; therefore, I want to help patients get to a better place than they were before,” he added.

The Villages, FL 32159 352.259.2200 rboi.com