Patrocinado Contenido patrocinado Cancer Care for All: Harris Health Redefines Oncology Services

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During a recent art therapy group for cancer patients, one participant painted Northern California’s Chandelier Tree, a massive redwood with an opening large enough for a car to pass through. When Krystal Luong, supervisor, Cancer Resource Center, Harris Health, asked about the painting, the patient said the tree represented Harris Health and cancer support services.

“‘You are like that tree—while hollow inside, it still stands to support everything, just like Harris Health does as patients go through it,’” Luong recalls how the moment reflects Harris Health’s approach to oncology: treating not only cancer, but the whole person.

“We don’t just treat the disease,” she adds. “We look at what patients need to keep going—whether that’s childcare, food on the table, financial assistance or support for their emotional well-being.”

That mission is especially important for a safety-net health system serving patients regardless of their circumstances.

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate,” says Amineh Kostov, senior vice president, System Service Lines, Harris Health. “You can have insurance, get cancer, become too sick to work and lose your coverage. Harris Health is here for you—from diagnosis and treatment through remission.”

Coordinated, High-Quality Care

Harris Health’s cancer program brings together medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, nurses, genetic counselors, pathologists, nutritionists, interventional radiologists and other specialists. The multidisciplinary team coordinates each patient’s diagnosis, treatment and support around an individualized plan.

“However a patient enters the system, the goal is seamless access to care,” Kostov says. “A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming, even for someone familiar with healthcare. We must be intentional about organizing our access points and resources so patients can focus on getting through one of the most challenging times in their lives.”

Services include diagnostic imaging, laboratory testing, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, genetic counseling and survivorship care. Partnerships with Baylor College of Medicine, UTHealth Houston and UT MD Anderson Cancer Center also connect eligible patients with clinical trials.

Harris Health’s unified cancer program—spanning Ben Taub Hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and Smith Clinic—holds three-year Commission on Cancer accreditation with commendation from the American College of Surgeons. Smith Clinic, the system’s primary hub for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, is also designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology.

“For a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient, that can mean a remarkably swift path to treatment,” says Diana Mathai, director, Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Smith Clinic.

Advanced mammography and PET/CT imaging help physicians diagnose cancer, track its spread and monitor treatment.

Personalized Treatment and Support

Technology is only one part of Harris Health’s approach.

“Nothing is cookie-cutter here,” Mathai says. “The vast majority of patients we see are stage three or four. While those cases may be considered palliative elsewhere, we treat them as curative cases.”

That personalized care continues in the infusion center, where Cancer Resource Center staff visit patients during chemotherapy and celebrate when they ring the bell after their final treatment. The center—affectionately known as the “wig shop”—also provides wigs, hats and head coverings.

“Anything we can do to boost patients’ self-esteem helps them continue with their daily lives,” Luong says.

For Kostov, the program’s strength comes from its people. “Our teams are unbelievable,” she says. “We have to remain flexible, seek information and empower patients to understand their care.”

“It takes real heart to work here,” Mathai adds. “You come because you truly live and breathe the mission.”

For more information on Harris Health services and programs, visit harrishealth.org