The new outpatient hospital wing at Scripps Mercy specializes in cancer care

By Monica Garske | SDUN Reporter

Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest recently announced the naming and opening of the Woltman Family Infusion Center, a new outpatient service at the hospital that specializes in cancer care and treatment of other health conditions. The hospital is located at 4077 Fifth Ave.

Local leaders gathered in Hillcrest on Sept. 19 for an official naming and opening ceremony. Patient care at the $1.3 million center is expected to begin this month.

The 3,100-square-foot treatment center is made possible by philanthropic support from the Woltmans, a local family that has a long legacy of advancing Scripps’ health care efforts in San Diego.

“We’re grateful for the support of the Woltman family to help bring this important new health resource to the community,” said Dr. William Stanton, medical director of Scripps Cancer Center at Scripps Mercy Hospital, in a press release.

“This center offers a large, comfortable environment for our patients. We’ve also added a research nurse to this center, which opens the door for our patients to participate in clinical trials,” he said.

The Woltman Family Infusion Center, built by general contractor ETC Building & Design of San Diego, is located in the Mercy Clinic building at 4020 Fifth Ave. It shares the fourth floor with Scripps Cancer Center and offers an array of expanded cancer care capabilities.

That includes 12 comfortable patient treatment stations equipped with a recliner chair, seat warmer, wireless internet access and a private television. The center also boasts an on-site pharmacy solely dedicated to the needs of infusion clinic patients, the press release from Scripps stated.

In addition to offering chemotherapy cancer care, the Woltman Family Infusion Center is designed to serve patients with other neurological, rheumatological and gastrointestinal illnesses.

Services including antibiotic therapy, blood product transfusions, biotherapy and intravenous hydration will also be available.

The center will primarily serve Scripps patients, but other community physicians will also have the ability to refer their patients, if needed.

The new wing replaces an eight-station infusion center located on the ninth floor of Scripps Mercy Hospital.

As stated in a Scripps press release, additional upcoming Scripps cancer care facilities are on the horizon. The Scripps Radiation Treatment Center is slated to open for patient care this fall, while the Scripps Proton Therapy Center is expected to open in summer 2013.

For additional information about Scripps Mercy in Hillcrest and expansions to the hospital, visit scripps.org.