Inside Duke Medicine

Construction is on schedule for a late February, 2012, opening to patients

A climate-controlled concourse will link the Cancer Center facility with Duke University Hospital, Duke Medicine Pavilion, the future Learning Center and the Searle Center. The third floor portion of the concourse will open in November.

Progress on the new Cancer Center facility continues to move forward on schedule toward a Feb. 27 opening to patients, with the exterior essentially complete except for the canopy that will provide coverage over the entrance drop off.

The former lawn section in the middle of the Duke Clinics traffic circle has been fenced off to allow for preliminary groundwork for the new traffic routes and gardens. And, as part of the continued commitment to easing accessibility to the clinics and the new building, work will begin late this summer or in early fall on a new turn lane from Erwin Road onto Trent Drive.

Interiors are progressing, with installation of new modular casework, the beginning of framing on level one, installation of drywall on levels four and five, and completion of design for the quiet room for meditation. On the garden terrace, the wooden trellis and glass skylight were installed.

In recent months, significant work was completed on the climate-controlled concourse that will lead from Duke Clinics through the Cancer Center facility to Duke University Hospital and future Duke Medicine Pavilion. In November, the concourse’s third floor will open, allowing patients, visitors and staff to remain fully indoors as they move through the buildings.

Transitioning from the current cancer clinics to the new facility is no small task and will no doubt create temporary challenges for staff as the process occurs. In planning the transition, the team considered key variables such as patient safety, operational efficiency, financial impact and patient satisfaction. These contributed to the final move sequencing of clinics and services that will take place over a three-week period.

Hundreds of employees from all levels of the Duke University Health System organization have been involved in the planning process to ensure a smooth, successful transition into the Cancer Center facility. The teams encompass a full range of areas – human resources, finance and performance services, PRMO, patient care and others – proactively working in collaboration to identify and address all issues and concerns in time for the facility’s opening.

During the first week of the transition process, Radiation Oncology, Radiology, the Brain Tumor Clinic, Prostate Center and Hematologic Malignancies Clinic are scheduled to move and prepare for opening. Infusion is scheduled to open the second week, with the majority of the clinics – Breast and Gynecology, Thoracic, GI, Sarcoma and Melanoma, and Urology – scheduled to move and open in the third week.

Look for more communications updates as the opening date approaches.

Read other articles from the special issue of Inside Duke Medicine on the Cancer Center facility.