Memorial Medical Center and Cancer Institute, the second of Cancer Treatment Centers of America's (CTCA) hospitals in the United States, will soon offer chiropractic services as part of its comprehensive cancer program.
Memorial Medical Center (MMC) will soon follow its sister hospital American International (AIH) in Zion, Illinois, by adding chiropractic services, which AIH has had since 1985. Memorial Medical Center opened its doors under the Cancer Treatment Centers banner, May 7, 1990. MMC operates in the former City of Faith Hospital, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which closed its doors in the fall of 1989.
At CTCA hospitals, chiropractic care is effectively blended with other health care disciplines -- medicine, nutrition and psycho-social. Traditional treatment is combined with innovative care -- regional and whole body hyperthermia, fractionated dose chemotherapy, positive nutrition and psychological and spiritual support.
Altered spinal function is a common problem treated by the chiropractic physicians at CTCA facilities. Altered spinal function may irritate spinal nerves which communicate with muscles, organs, and blood vessels. Disruption in the communication process can lead to disease. A prolonged hospital stay may also cause problems which chiropractic care may help resolve.
Chiropractors at CTCA facilities have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures such as imaging services, nuclear medicine, computerized tomography (CT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and one of the most sophisticated oncology research laboratories in the world.
In addition to providing chiropractic care to patients while they are at CTCA hospitals, CTCA also has a new Physicians Network to offer follow-up care between hospital stays. Patients have been treated at CTCA hospitals from 44 states and several foreign countries. When patients return home, chiropractic physicians are encouraged to continue providing chiropractic care (if not contraindicated) including nutritional counseling, patient education, and condition reporting on treatment protocols. Although chiropractors do not get involved in actual cancer treatment, they do play a key role in promoting patient adherence to treatment regimens during the intervals between hospital visits.
"The CTCA nationwide network of physicians are men and women who are interested in providing the best care for their patients, committed to staying up-to-date on the latest treatment alternatives, devoted to maintaining contact with their patients, and willing to interact with patients and support adherence to their cancer treatment regimen," said Bob Lane, president and CEO of CTCA. "This network is the essence of our patients' success," said Lane.
"We are excited about the new development in patient care that is now possible because of the recent opening of Memorial Medical Center and Cancer Institute in Tulsa," said Gaylord Snitker, D.C., who is chairman of the Joint Chiropractic Associations of Oklahoma. "Their innovative approach to care allows breakthroughs from their international research contacts to get to the patient quicker," said Snitker.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America is an oncology program management company which implements and manages cancer programs in hospitals. Patients from 44 states and several countries visited CTCA last year for treatment. "We have been treating cancer patients for almost 15 years now, said Roger O'Connor, CTCA vice president, and our success is noted by the increasing number of patients who seek our help every year."
The positive response to the Physicians Network from across the United States has caused us to have to postpone further membership for a short while. Physicians interested in more information may call 1-800-955-CTCA.