BATON ROUGE - Beginning October 2016, Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes will have access to fully-integrated cancer care in one location. Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge officially announced plans today for the $12.8 million Ochsner Baton Rouge Cancer Center. The new dedicated space, made possible in part by the generosity of community donors, will be located in the current Physicians Plaza II building at the O'Neal Lane campus.

The Ochsner Baton Rouge Cancer Center will be the first in Baton Rouge to conveniently offer a hematology/oncology outpatient clinic with both chemotherapy infusion and radiation oncology services on one floor in the same building. The addition of radiation oncology will also benefit the underserved population of East Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes that do not currently have access to this service.

Dr. Burke "Jay" Brooks, chairman of Ochsner's Baton Rouge Hematology/Oncology Department, has been helping patients battle cancer at Ochsner for nearly three decades and is excited to offer more streamlined options. "These patients and their families should have one focus-to get better," said Brooks. "Knowing that they can do that in one place instead of having to coordinate multiple visits to different facilities across town will be a huge relief. The less they have to worry about, the better outcomes we can anticipate."

The timing for the expansion of cancer care is critical. Louisiana ranks near the highest in the U.S. for cancer deaths and one in three Louisianans will battle an invasive cancer in their lifetime. Over the next decade cancer is estimated to increase nationally by 50 percent. Cancer deaths worldwide are projected to reach 13 million annually by 2030.

Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge is estimated to see an additional 1,500 patients in 2016. The Ochsner Health System as a whole is predicting a 30% increase in cancer care over the next five years. The new Ochsner Baton Rouge Cancer Center will serve this growing need with:

More than 20,000 square feet of expanded oncology space and the addition of 15 personalized and semi-private patient chemo infusion stations-more than doubling the patient space in a relaxing and compassionate atmosphere.
- full spectrum of specialty-trained physicians who employ a team approach to treating cancer patients through weekly conferences and open and integrated communication.
- comprehensive approach to urologic, gynecologic and surgical oncology for all cancer types.
- clinical cancer research program with a large range of clinical trials for all cancer types; including cutting-edge drugs, new agents and anti-cancer agents for treating cancer.
- The only cancer program in the Baton Rouge region on a fully integrated electronic medical record where all physicians have a common chart to review.

Future plans for the Ochsner Baton Rouge Cancer Center also include the addition of breast surgery, thoracic oncology, gynecology oncology, head and neck cancer and MOHS Treatment for skin cancer.

"This addition will not only allow us to treat more people, but also allows the opportunity for those patients to heal in the community that they call home, close to family and friends" added Brooks. "No one should have to incur the anxiety and expense of travelling out of state to receive the high-quality care they need. It's just one of many ways that we at Ochsner treat the whole patient, not just the disease."

In addition to Dr. Brooks' long-term experience, Ochsner Baton Rouge can boast 100 years of collective experience amongst its chemotherapy registered nurse professionals, with each averaging 11 years of experience in chemo delivery at Ochsner, and the first patient navigator in Baton Rouge who has been guiding patients through all aspects of cancer care for more than 25 years.

Ochsner Baton Rouge also currently offers support groups, survivorship resources, access to clinical trials, palliative care, screenings such as 3D mammography and an integrated system of medical records, meaning that patient information is immediately accessible to every physician that cares for that patient across all Ochsner locations.

Ochsner Baton Rouge continues to grow across multiple areas to provide much needed services to surrounding communities. Last year, they added the Iberville Medical Complex, and this August, Ochsner Health Center - Zachary will open to the public. The 15-room facility will offer primary care and urgent care with access to lab and x-ray services as well as rotating specialists. The urgent care clinic will be open for after-hours and weekend healthcare needs. Last week, Ochsner Health System announced a nearly $360 million expansion to its Jefferson Highway campus in New Orleans. The overall expansion of services in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans aim to make it possible for more patients to receive lifesaving care in Louisiana.

Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge is part of the largest group of cancer specialists in Louisiana, one of the largest in the Gulf South region. The Ochsner Cancer Network's five-year survival rate for cancer is above the national average in specialties such as lung, colon, prostate and breast. Visit www.ochsner.org to find out more about existing cancer care services or to make an appointment at an Ochsner location.

To support the Ochsner Baton Rouge Cancer Center or other lifesaving services in the Baton Rouge region, visit www.ochsner.org/giving or contact Louisa Post, Director of Development, (225) 236-5499 or louisa.post@ochsner.org.

Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge is a full-service acute care hospital located at I-12 and O'Neal Lane, and includes 11 local health centers across Hammond to Iberville and Central to Prairieville. Ochsner Baton Rouge employs 1,500 locally, including nearly 150 physicians and advanced practice providers. Ochsner Baton Rouge is a part of Ochsner Health System, Louisiana's largest non-profit healthcare delivery system. Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital nationally recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a "Best Hospital" across six specialty categories caring for patients from all 50 states and 80 countries worldwide each year. Ochsner employs more than 17,000 employees, over 1,000 physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties and conducts over 1,000 clinical research studies. Ochsner Health System is proud to be a tobacco-free environment.

The Ochsner Cancer Network across the Ochsner Health System provides multidisciplinary care for adult and pediatric cancer patients. These patients benefit from a collaborative approach to cancer care by a highly skilled team of physicians, oncology nurses, social workers, researchers, and other healthcare professionals. Ochsner currently offers 190 cancer clinical research studies and has been recognized as a High Performing in Cancer Care by U.S. News & World Report.

By The Numbers: The Ochsner Baton Rouge Cancer Center

-  Opening October 2016

-  $12.8 Million Total Cost

-  Located in the Physicians Plaza II building at the O'Neal Lane campus

-  First in Baton Rouge to offer chemotherapy infusion and radiation oncology services on one floor in the same building

-  More than 20,000 square feet of expanded oncology space

-  15 personalized and semi-private patient chemo infusion stations-more than doubling the patient space in a relaxing and compassionate atmosphere

A History of Cancer Care

-  100 years of collective experience amongst chemotherapy registered nurse professionals-each averaging 11 years of experience in chemo delivery at Ochsner

-  Dr. Jay Brooks has three decades of experience caring for patients at Ochsner Baton Rouge.

-  First patient navigator in Baton Rouge-guiding patients through all aspects of cancer care for more than 25 years

The Ochsner Cancer Network

-  Ochsner Baton Rouge is part of Ochsner Cancer Network-the largest group of cancer specialists in Louisiana and one of the largest in the Gulf South region.

-  Ochsner Cancer Network's five-year survival rate for cancer is above the national average in specialties such as lung, colon, prostate and breast.

Cancer Facts: Louisiana and U.S.

-  Louisiana ranks near the highest in the U.S. for cancer deaths

-  One in three Louisianans will battle an invasive cancer in their lifetime.

-  Over the next decade cancer is estimated to increase nationally by 50 percent.

-  Cancer deaths worldwide are projected to reach 13 million annually by 2030.

-  Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge is estimated to see an additional 1,500 patients in 2016.

-  Ochsner Health System as a whole is predicting a 30% increase in cancer care over the next five years.