Mayo Clinic announced this morning that it plans to build a cancer treatment facility in Northfield, Minn.
"The $10 million facility is estimated to serve more than 200 cancer patients each year and enables opportunities for expanded cancer care in the region," the clinic announced.
The facility will benefit cancer patients in the Northfield area who now have to travel to receive radiation oncology services, the clinic said. About 60 percent to 70 percent of patients expected to be treated there previously had to travel to Rochester.
" Anyone who’s battled cancer or helped someone battle cancer understands how difficult it can be for patients who are often quite ill to travel great distances for daily treatments over several weeks," said radiation/oncology physician Dr. Robert Miller. "This facility is being planned solely to address the needs of our patients."
The goal is to allow patients undergoing cancer treatment to receive therapy "as close to home as possible" while still connecting them with Mayo expertise.
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Patients served by the new Mayo Radiation Oncology Center will have access to services provided by Northfield Hospital, Mayo said.
Northfield says on its Web site that it is "one of Minnesota’s newest hospitals (and) provides comprehensive care to patients from throughout greater Northfield and southern Dakota County."
Mayo Health System and Northfield Hospital already have a relationship. While Northfield's FamilyHealth Medical Clinic-Northfield is owned and operated by Northfield Hospital & Clinics, the Cannon Valley Clinic-Mayo Health System provides most physician services, according to its Web site.
The Mayo announcement notes that this is just one area of collaboration between Mayo Clinic, Mayo Health System and Northfield Hospital. Mayo Health System also plans expanded cardiology outreach to Northfield, and a new management services agreement between Mayo Health System and Northfield Hospital for management of the Northfield FamilyHealth clinics.
The new Mayo Radiation Oncology Center will be designed to meet "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" certification, "meaning it will be built with energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources and sensitivity in mind."
Construction of the cancer center is planned to start in summer 2011, and Mayo officials are currently scouting a location to build. The center is expected to employ 12.
