Oustanding Patient Care

Annual Report - 1998-1999

If one word were to best describe patient care last year, it would have to be growth. More than ever before, patients are seeing M. D. Anderson as an ally in their fight against cancer.

“One look at the numbers is testimony to the trust people have in the quality of services and treatment options offered at the cancer center,” says Dr. Thomas W. Burke, vice president and physician-in-chief at M. D. Anderson. “People are looking to us for answers and solutions to their cancer problem. They are coming to us in search of hope.”

During fiscal year 1997-98, M. D. Anderson experienced an:

• 11.5 percent increase in new patients registered, totaling 20,530.
• Eight percent increase in outpatient visits, totaling 368,605.

Several patient care areas also experienced significant growth. The Division of Surgery documented an eight percent increase in surgical cases performed and six percent increase in surgical hours logged, totaling 10,071 cases and 37,417 hours.

The Pediatric and Adolescent Center saw a 13 percent and eight percent increase in new patient referrals and patient registrations, respectively.

More than 51,000 visits were made to the Ambulatory Treatment Center, resulting in a 14 percent increase from fiscal year 1996-97.

“While the growth in requests for our services is great, it also provides challenges to our support systems,” Dr. Burke says. “Planning appropriately to deal with the increased volume without sacrificing quality, personal attention and ancillary services is vitally important. Over the past year, we have worked hard at addressing issues such as wait times, time of next appointment and customer service.”

Service  was another key word in M. D. Anderson’s vocabulary last year. Efforts to meet the specific needs of patients and enhance the delivery of care was a top priority.

Some highlights include:

• Decreases in wait times for clinic visits and diagnostic tests contributed to increased patient satisfaction. Several care centers noted significant improvements, including a more than 40 percent wait time reduction in the Gynecologic Oncology Center and nearly a 50 percent reduction in the Diagnostic Center.
• A pilot room service program was conducted by Food and Dining Services and Clinical Nutrition. The goal of “Room Service at Anderson” was to offer patients fresh, cooked-to-order food from an extensive, restaurant-style menu on demand. The program was successful, and plans to renovate the kitchen in fiscal year 1999 will allow this service to be extended to all inpatient units.
• An electronic device that flashes a light on the inside of patient room doors was installed to alert hearing impaired persons that someone is knocking. This addition complements existing services, including sign language interpretation and access to specially designed telephones known as Telecom- munication Devices for the Deaf.
• The Life After Cancer Care program was established to provide comprehensive evaluations and treatments for survivors of breast and childhood cancers. It offers a variety of services to help manage the long-term effects of treatment for patients who received their cancer care elsewhere.

Fiscal year 1997-98 also was a time of increased preparedness for the opening of the Albert B. and Margaret M. Alkek Hospital.

Countless individuals worked tirelessly throughout the year to ensure a smooth move to the Alkek Hospital. The 13-story, 550,000-square-foot facility was dedicated Nov. 11 at a meeting of The University of Texas System Board of Regents, which was held at M. D. Anderson. A commemorative piece of crystal art glass was presented to Mrs. Alkek, "together with our thanks for the magnificent gift which contributed so importantly to creating this new hospital," M. D. Anderson President Dr. John Mendelsohn says.

The new hospital stands tall as a symbol of M. D. Anderson's commitment to providing the highest quality of cancer care. Moreover, the hospital answers an urgent need for a facility to support advances in patient care –- including diagnostic and surgical technologies –– that existing buildings could no longer accommodate.

Look for the spring Conquest –– a special Alkek commemorative issue –– to learn more about the state-of-the-art addition to the M. D. Anderson campus