The Virginian-Pilot
©
PORTSMOUTH
Vice Mayor Charles B. Whitehurst Sr. doesn't want the state health commissioner to approve a proposal to move the city's only cancer radiation treatment program to Suffolk.
Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System has requested permission from the state to relocate the service about six miles, from Maryview Medical Center to its Harbour View Health Center. The move, if approved, would allow Bon Secours to create a comprehensive cancer center at Harbour View, complete with medical specialist offices, support groups and infusion services, leaders of the health system say.
The application is pending. A public hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon in Carrollton, and a decision is expected in early October.
State Health Commissioner Karen Remley already has rejected Bon Secours' plan once, in a decision less than a year ago. She wrote that the change would move care away from the city that used Maryview's service most.
Whitehurst said Monday that he only recently became aware of Bon Secours' proposal, and he wanted the health system's leaders to explain their plan to the City Council.
"I would not like to see the cancer treatment center moved. I think it serves where the greatest need is in Portsmouth," Whitehurst said. "I understand they were turned down the first time. I hope they're turned down again."
On Monday, he attended a groundbreaking ceremony at Maryview for construction to accommodate two new machines for radiation treatment, which are scheduled to begin operation early in 2012. The total cost of construction and equipment is $8 million.
Hospital CEO Joseph M. Oddis said the technology upgrades will benefit Portsmouth residents at Maryview in the short-term and at Harbour View in the future.
Both Portsmouth and Western Tidewater reported cancer mortality rates among the highest in the state, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health.
The new computerized tomography simulator will allow patients to receive treatment-planning scans at the cancer center, which is a separate building a few yards away from the hospital, said Leeanne Dalton, administrative director of oncology services for Bon Secours Hampton Roads. Previously, patients needed to be taken back and forth between the buildings.
With the new linear accelerator, radiation therapists no longer will need to use film X-rays to verify the area on the body for radiation therapy before sessions, Dalton said. Instead, the linear accelerator uses the planning CT scan from the new simulator to confirm the correct treatment.
Radiation sessions also will be shorter, and patients will receive radiation that is more precisely directed to their tumors.
Amy Jeter, (757) 446-2730, amy.jeter@pilotonline.com
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Open Mouth, Insert Foot
When public officials make public statements, it's sometimes helpful if they have some idea what they're talking about. Here we have still one more example of Charles Whitehurst making grand pronouncements on issues he knows nothing about. Instead of preaching to Maryview how it should practice medicine, maybe Whitehurst's time would be better spent reading budgets before he votes for them! If he can't manage to keep up with what he was elected to do, maybe he should just keep his mouth shut on issues that do not concern him.
Here Here....finally someone
Here Here....finally someone I'm familiar with who isn't afraid to speak the truth!
Kudos to you SEH
Portsmouth's safety and Maryview's cancer scan
I hope Maryview will keep the scan in Portsmouth. People need it here. But of course, I know that no matter where it is located, it will be needed and appreciated.
You can talk all you want about Portsmouth being crime-infested. But crime infested or not, the city's citizens need the boon this will provide for their health care. But as long as the average person uses reasonable discretion, there is generally nothing to fear in P-town. Anyway, crime is not limited to Portsmouth. It's a fact of life, causing everybody to use reasonable discretion everywhere.
money vs well fair
Hey Vice Mayor Charles B. Whitehurst Sr. Suffolk $$$$$, Portsmouth well fair.
I can go to Suffolk and roll down my car window with out fear of being mugged i have relatives who wont step foot inside your crime infested city and will drive out of their way to avoid it !
It's actually spelled
It's actually spelled WELFARE.....I "got" your little metaphor.....
Portsmouth is neither drug/crime/welfare infested...what we are is a city that cannot expand and can only build on existing property. We have a way to go but Portsmouth is improving and we have THE BEST POLICE & FIRE department in Virginia.
SO you keep on traveling around Portsmouth to fight traffic to your home or to head into the country and the rest of us can stand back and be proud that we worked to make a difference...some more than others but all either way.
As far as the Radiation machine is concerned it DOES NOT "BRING" money to Portsmouth..and it will serve us better in Harbour View as it's just a few miles away and has other services.
Thats because
Thats because Suffolk is mostly rural-urban as opposed to mostly urban like Portsmouth. These said 'thugs' dont like to chill in the forest, and Jason Voorhees is make believe.
I agree
with Mr. Whitehurst....wouldn't this pull money out of the city???? Heck, Portsmouth needs all the money they can get!!!!!
This decision should be
This decision should be about what is best for cancer patients, not revenue for the city.
Well if Baxson5 is who I
Well if Baxson5 is who I think she is having worked for the schools here and having been with the sheriffs office also you would think Betty would want whats best for Portsmouth and take the time to get educated on it.
For instance...my wife works for Bon Secours....I can tell you that should the service be moved to suffolk it would get the upgrades it needs as well as a fresh enviroment.
People need to also know that its only being moved to Harbourview.....thats only a few miles down the road.
While I'd like to see Bon Secours spend that money IN PORTSMOUTH to upgrade the facility by using Portsmouth contractors....we all know Bon Secours HAS to do what is best economically & patient care wise
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