The Mountain States Cancer Institute in Nampa is going to be relocated and updated. St. Luke’s says the new facility will offer a more serene space and more options for those going through cancer treatments.
The Nampa location of the Mountain States Tumor Institute first opened in 1991. Originally designed to care for 8,300 patients a year, today more than twice that amount get oncology services at the facility. A release from St. Luke’s forecasts close to 20,000 people could be getting treatment at the Nampa location by 2020.
With no space to grow and a lot of repairs needed, the St. Luke’s will relocate the Canyon County Mountain States Tumor Institute to its Nampa medical center.
Along with being double the size of the old facility and offering more exam rooms, the new building will have space for psychiatric care, survivor services and a physical therapy gym for cancer patients.
Dr. Timothy Sawyer, an oncologist with St. Luke’s, says the new building will allow more privacy and tranquility for patients. He says the current facility has 10 chemotherapy chairs in a small room with no outside views. In the new space, there will be 20 chairs – all with views of the Treasure Valley landscape. Sawyer says natural light and scenery are proven to promote patient well-being.
In addition to the tranquil setting, new technology will be installed to allow treatment for more forms of cancer. Patients will also be able to participate in more clinical trials. St. Luke’s estimates the new facility will open in 2021.
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