How Wood County Hospital Personalizes Cancer Treatment Plans
There's a significant amount of work that happens before a treatment plan is finalized. Much of it requires multiple specialists contributing their expertise.
Patient Assessment
The process begins with a comprehensive patient evaluation. Medical history, diagnostic imaging and test results help define the clinical picture, while additional considerations help the team anticipate potential barriers and plan accordingly.
Cancer Staging and Diagnostic Clarity
Staging defines how advanced your cancer is and guides treatment decisions. It helps determine whether treatment should focus on removing the cancer, slowing its progression or managing symptoms, giving the care team a clear path forward.
Imaging and Diagnostics
Advanced imaging, including CT, MRI and PET scans, provides a detailed view of tumors and surrounding structures. Those evaluations allow for precise planning, especially when targeting specific areas for treatment.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
"Cancer is a multidisciplinary disease," Dr. Parikh explained. "It involves radiation oncologists, surgeons, medical oncologists, primary care physicians, dietitians, social workers and physical therapists."
To provide the most effective care, these providers collaborate to review each case during tumor board meetings, ensuring every patient benefits from multiple expert perspectives.
Precision Planning for Treatment
If you're undergoing radiation therapy, planning is a detailed and highly technical process. You must be carefully positioned and scanned to create a three-dimensional model of your body. From there, the team evaluates multiple treatment approaches before selecting the most effective option.
"We're not just trying to get a good plan," Dr. Parikh said. "We're trying to get the best plan possible. Each strategy is reviewed and validated multiple times before treatment begins. The goal is clear: Treat the cancer effectively while protecting as much healthy tissue as possible."
The Importance of Coordination in Cancer Treatment
When cancer care involves multiple providers, it can get overwhelming. Appointments, tests and referrals may create delays or confusion without strong alignment. That's where structure makes a difference.
Wood County Hospital's care teams work together to guide you through each step. Before the nurse navigation program was introduced, the average time from an abnormal test to the start of treatment was about 127 days. Today, that timeline is about 47 days.
"That's just a lot of me poking everybody to say let's move," Sara Hackler said.
On average, a patient may interact with up to 138 healthcare professionals between an abnormal test and their first treatment. Having a central point of coordination helps keep your care organized and moving forward.
"We know exactly what their next move is," Sara said. "Where they need to go and where they've been."
When multiple treatment paths are available, the team takes time to walk through each option. Dr. Parikh explains that if outcomes are comparable, the decision often comes down to what best fits your needs, including time, side effects and personal priorities.
Benefits of Personalized Cancer Treatment
Personalized care creates meaningful advantages during and after treatment.
More Targeted Care
When treatment reflects the specific characteristics of the type of cancer, it allows for a more focused and effective approach. Treatment decisions are based on detailed clinical insights rather than general assumptions.
Fewer Side Effects
Precise planning helps minimize the impact on surrounding healthy tissue. According to Dr. Parikh, the goal is to treat the cancer while "sparing as much of the normal tissue as possible," which can reduce both immediate and long-term side effects.
Better Long-Term Experience and Outcomes
Treatment considerations not only include how to address the disease, but also how you'll feel during and after care.
"We want to cure the disease," Dr. Parikh said, "but we also want to cure it in a way that leaves the patient with the best quality of life."
The Wood County Hospital Difference
The Mauer Family Cancer Care Center is intentionally designed to feel welcoming and personal. You have the chance to build relationships with the people caring for you, instead of just moving through appointments.
That connection shows up in small but meaningful ways. Patients have said they feel like family, and they're comfortable asking questions without being rushed. The team is intentional about creating that kind of environment.
There's also a strong sense of community. You can meet others going through similar experiences and stay connected long after treatment ends.
"The waiting room in a cancer center can be one of the most therapeutic things," Dr. Parikh said.
Receiving care close to home also plays an important role. It reduces travel, keeps you connected to your support system and makes it easier to stay consistent with treatment.
Cancer Care Center at Wood County Hospital
The Maurer Family Cancer Care Center has a full range of cancer treatment services in one convenient location.
Services and Support
- Radiation therapy with advanced planning and precision techniques
- Chemotherapy and immunotherapy
- Access to clinical trials
- Advanced diagnostic imaging
- Nutrition counseling and medical nutrition therapy
- Physical, occupational and lymphedema therapy
- Social work and emotional support services
- Support programs like the Power of Hope Support Group
If you're exploring cancer treatment options or want to understand your next steps, reach out to the team at Wood County Hospital.