Physicians, scientists, patients and WashU leaders — all united in hope — gathered Sept. 10 to celebrate the new home for world-class cancer care on the Washington University Medical Campus.
The nine-story, 657,250-square-foot building will be devoted exclusively to outpatient care at Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and will welcome its first patients Sept. 30.
“This building represents hope for patients, their families and the community at large,” Chancellor Andrew D. Martin said. “It is also rooted in WashU Medicine’s longstanding collaboration with BJC HealthCare, and the ways in which we as partners create the kinds of forward-thinking projects that meet the challenges of this moment and anticipate the needs of the future.”
Also in attendance was St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, who called the building “a jewel” in the city and region for offering the highest quality of cancer care, as well as a boost in economic opportunities with the creation of jobs. She also spoke of the hope Siteman has given her and members of her family.
The state-of-the-art building, designed specifically with cancer patients in mind, incorporates an innovative model of care — the first for cancer care in the region. For many patients, this means they can see a multidisciplinary team of WashU Medicine cancer experts and receive chemotherapy and other services in collaboration with BJC caregivers, all coordinated during a single visit. This approach prioritizes patients’ comfort and convenience and reduces the need to return for multiple appointments.
The meticulously planned building, at 4500 Forest Park Ave., also offers a tangible example of what makes Siteman — the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Missouri and southern Illinois — so unique. It embodies the power of collaboration between BJC HealthCare and WashU Medicine in providing innovative cancer care based on the latest research, and an ongoing, deep commitment to the health of our region.
“Patients inspire everything we do here,” said Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, who is the director of Siteman Cancer Center, the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and senior associate dean for cancer programs at WashU Medicine and BJC HealthCare. “This facility expands on our 25-year history of leading-edge care and consolidates outpatient care to make visits easier for patients. We want every patient who walks through our doors to experience a supportive, calming and hopeful environment. This building was created with those goals in mind.”
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