WHAT’S AN INFUSION? An infusion is a procedure for delivering medications or other fluids, including chemotherapy, to a patient intravenously. After a patient receives an intravenous line, an infusion pump steadily releases the fluid from an infusion bag. A patient may receive a single medication or a combination of therapies depending on his or her treatment plan. Some infusions may only take minutes, while others last a few hours or longer. So most infusion centers have private, comfortable places for patients to sit while they’re being treated. Sabrina England with healthcare professionals who work in the infusion center. Left to right: Jeanna Kinney, RN, Kristina Marcum, Sabrina and Rebecka Sayne-Meyer, RN.
SABRINA ENGLAND WAS SHOCKED when she received a colon cancer diagnosis after a checkup last year. “I never get sick, and I’m the kind of person who’s always taking care of everyone else,” says Sabrina, 64, a retired nurse, mother, grandmother and primary caregiver for her paralyzed brother, a veteran who served the country in Vietnam. Sabrina chose to have surgery at McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital (MHMH) immediately. The surgical team removed the tumor from her bowel. Afterward, under the guidance of her physician, Seerin Viviane Shatavi, MD, a hematologist and oncologist at MHMH, Sabrina started a course of chemotherapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells. “Her chemotherapy has been a curative attempt,” says Dr. Shatavi.
A CHEERFUL ENVIRONMENT Initially, Sabrina received her chemotherapy treatments, known as infusions, on the second floor of the hospital while the infusion center at MHMH was being updated. (In addition
to chemotherapy, the infusion center provides IV antibiotics, blood products and bone density and iron deficiency treatments.) The renovations involved expanding the infusion center and oncology clinic. “We’ve grown our oncology services, so we needed more room for everyone—doctors, nurses and patients,” says Sharon Klein, Director of Employee and Community Wellness at MHMH. “Patients seem to appreciate the updated infusion chairs. They’re heated and recline into a full bed. Also, each private infusion bay has extra seating for friends and family.” In addition, the bays include TVs and Wi-Fi for patients’ enjoyment. After the renovations were complete, Sabrina continued chemotherapy in the new space. “It’s bigger and more beautiful, and it’s such a cheerful environment,” she recalls. “To me, the best part is that family members can sit with you during treatments.” Last December, in the midst of chemotherapy, Sabrina suffered the tragic loss of her husband to a motorcycle accident. There was an outpouring of support from the staff at
the infusion center. “I’m so thankful to them,” she says. “They’ve all been so wonderful.”
COMPREHENSIVE, CONVENIENT CARE To provide high-quality care close to patients’ homes, MHMH is steadily expanding its oncology services. The hospital offers advanced imaging for breast, colon and other cancers. It also provides the latest surgery and chemotherapy options. In addition, genetic counseling is available to patients via telemedicine. “At the Cancer Center, we provide everything from screening and diagnosis in the clinic to treatments in the new, large-capacity infusion center,” says Dr. Shatavi. “I’m proud of the facility, but I’m even more proud of my team members—especially the nurses, who provide great care by putting our patients first.” Sabrina is grateful for the care she’s received at MHMH and is eager to return to spending time with her brother and grandchildren. Says Sabrina: “I’m hopeful that Dr. Shatavi will say I’m cancer-free after my last infusion.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INFUSION CENTER, CALL 513.524.5540.
OXFORD HEALTH & LIFE | SUMMER 2019
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