Franciscan Health: Complete Cancer Care Coming to Munster

Franciscan-Health-Munster-Cancer-Treatment-Center-2016Franciscan Health Munster is giving area residents yet another reason why they need not travel outside the area to receive the latest and best treatment services.

Construction is underway on a planned 83,500-square-foot, $46 million hospital comprehensive cancer center and medical office building that will be unique in the area, said Sister Aline Shultz, hospital chief operating officer.

“A lot of people go to Chicago for the kinds of services we are going to offer. We hope to keep them in Northwest Indiana. We will be offering university-scale cancer treatment here,” she said, adding, “There isn’t another comprehensive cancer treatment center in Northwest Indiana that will have the capabilities under one roof that this will have.”

The three-story addition, which will be attached to the hospital building at 701 Superior Ave. and connect to the outpatient service area, will include:

  • Radiation oncology treatment, with two linear accelerators for radiation therapy.
  • Medical oncology-infusion therapy; with a 15-chair infusion center for chemotherapy.
  • Four, state-of-art endoscopy suites.
  • Oncology laboratory services.
  • A breast center that will offer a complete line of services, among them breast cancer screenings and diagnostics, and bone density testing.
  • A pharmacy.
  • A waiting area, with a capacity for 50 persons.
  • Physician suites.
  • A retail center.

The project, which is expected to be completed in 2018, comes on the heels of completion of a nearly two-year, $70 million construction effort that included a new, 24-hour Emergency Department, 24 patient rooms, a gift shop, a chapel and a cafeteria-dining room. That project added 80,000 square feet of space and 40,000 square feet of upgrades to the hospital.

“We could not be more excited, as this project further symbolizes the continuing growth and commitment Franciscan Alliance is making to this area,” Sister Aline said.