Here We GROW Again
being recruited in medical oncology, surgical oncology, GYN oncology, and radiation oncology for 2023 and beyond. The CI is committed in our focus to ensure access for patients seeking cancer care in our region. Along with our administration and physician partners, we will continue to identify and address needs for space, services, and manpower to provide accessible, high-quality care to those that entrust us with their oncology care.
new physicians to provide patient care. University Cancer Specialists hired four new medical oncologists in 2022 which included Dr. Sarah Jenkins and Dr. Clark Cutrer (main campus), Dr. Ardalan Davarifar (main campus and Halls RHC) and Dr. Felicia Wheeler (Maryville, Alcoa, and Lenoir City). Along with the new physicians, new nurse practitioners, medical assistants, and other supporting staff were added to our CI team. Additional cancer specialists are
CI facility which will combine the Blount oncology services into one location. Plans for the new facility were developed and completed in 2022 with construction beginning in early 2023. Currently, the completion date for the Blount County UTMC CI facility is projected for the first quarter of 2024. In addition to space, cancer specialists and support staff are also required to meet the increasing demand for services. The CI was fortunate in 2022 to recruit several
While the COVID-19 pandemic slowed progress on many things, the Cancer Institute (CI) leadership at The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) remained focused on plans to expand capacity and meet the estimated growth of cancer volumes in our region. According to the Healthcare Advisory Board, the number of new cancer cases are projected to increase by 14% over the next 10 years. With the CI already experiencing some challenges meeting the demand for cancer services, it was imperative to develop strategies to address and meet the oncology needs of those in our community. During 2022 the CI initiated several construction projects to increase space to improve access for our patients and services. These expansions are both on the main campus and in our region. The CI was able to renovate 10,000 square feet of space in our main campus facility when the Advanced Orthopedic Center moved to their new facility across Alcoa Highway. This first phase of expansion
Blount County Cancer Institute projected to open in Q1 of 2024.
Lenoir City, the CI made plans to open a medical oncology clinic and a chemotherapy/infusion center in the new Halls RHC. The decision was made to also open a third breast center at Halls to provide access and greater convenience for women seeking screening mammography. Construction of this space occurred in 2022 and the new location opened in January 2023. In Blount County, the CI maintains two medical oncology clinics and chemotherapy/infusion centers, one in Maryville and a second location in Alcoa. The expanding demand for services at the two locations resulted in a plan to build a new
allowed the CI to increase exam rooms, phlebotomy space, chemotherapy/infusion chairs, as well as offices for new physicians and services such as the Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program. The second phase beginning in 2023 will provide further expansion for chemotherapy/infusion services and additional space for the oncology pharmacy, which mixes medications used in both inpatient and outpatient oncology areas. In 2022 the CI initiated two plans to increase regional access to oncology services. Like the UT Medical Center Regional Health Centers (RHC) in Sevierville and
Clark Cutrer, MD Medical Oncologist/ Hematologist
Felicia Wheeler, MD Medical Oncologist/ Hematologist
Ardalan Davarifar, MD, PhD Medical Oncologist/ Hematologist
Sarah B. Jenkins, MD, PhD Medical Oncologist/ Hematologist
12 - Cancer Institute Annual Report 2022
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