The Baylor Scott & White-Round Rock Cancer Center will be located on the southwest side of the hospital’s campus on University Boulevard.[/caption]
Baylor Scott & White Health broke ground in March to build a $49.9 million, 100,000-square-foot, four-story cancer center in Round Rock. According to Dr. Rob Watson, chief medical officer for Baylor Scott & White’s Austin/Round Rock region, the facility will offer a full range of oncology services. The center is expected to open in 2017.
“There are obviously other radiation centers and other cancer clinics out there, but when you look at combining all of those things together—connecting them to the depth and breadth of physicians, research and clinical trials [at the center]—I think it will be unique to this market,” Watson said.
The center will offer enhanced treatment and cancer diagnostic services, screenings, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term monitoring for comprehensive cancer care.
Located on the southwest side of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Round Rock on University Boulevard, the facility will include a designated cancer center on the first floor that will offer medical oncology, radiation oncology, imaging, and a comprehensive breast care center. The upper floors will include bone and joint services—orthopedics, podiatry, physical therapy and pain medicine—and neurology services.
Watson said the goal behind the center is that as soon as someone gets a cancer diagnosis, the patient can focus on themselves and let the Scott & White doctors focus on treatment.
“It can be incredibly overwhelming for patients to have to think about [treatment options] and also try to navigate from different systems to different facilities,” he said. “We wanted them to think they’re here now, and we’re going to take care of them. [...] They get to focus on their well-being.”
Watson said in addition to its radiology treatments the center will feature a palliative and supportive care wing.
“Palliative and supportive care is really crucial to oncology because they’re really built to deal not only with the aspects of pain-management that come along with cancer treatment but the psychological aspects as well,” he said. “We’ll have in the same building our pain-management services that help treat the pain that can occur with cancer care.”
Furthermore, Watson said the center will feature preventive aspects as well, with its breast center providing screening and diagnostic mammography. The center will also feature a clinic focused on those with a high risk of breast cancer.
“[The high-risk clinic is] built to help people who have a strong history of breast cancer and maybe above average risk to understand what is their risk, and what do they need to do to lower that risk,” Watson said. “We’re absolutely committed to preventing cancer where we can.”
Watson said the system looked closely at the area’s demographics, and the cancer center was a natural evolution of rapid growth.
“Our demographics in the area—which were very strong in terms of growth—were also strong in the sense that, unfortunately, a significant number of patients in our community will get cancer, and we wanted to be able to service the full spectrum of their needs,” Watson said.
