Boosting Cancer Care: How Oncology Consultants Optimizes Patient Transport for Better Outcomes

Oncology Consultants is a Houston-based cancer treatment and diagnosis company with 14 clinics, specializing in the use of radiation therapy to treat cancer.

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They use a linear accelerator to target radiation at specific tumor locations. Because the capital costs of a single linear accelerator can exceed $2 million, radiology clinics like Oncology Consultants need to ensure they operate their facilities at the optimal level to get maximum use of their equipment during its operable lifetime.

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By providing convenient patient transportation to and from their clinics, Oncology Consultants was able to recognize the following benefits:

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Positive patient experience - Offering a ride to and from their clinic improved patient experience and especially because cancer patients are too unwell to drive.

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Timing of treatment can help outcomes - The timing and consistency of radiation treatment is important for patients to have an effective outcome during the course of their cancer treatment.

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High equipment utilization - The cost of delivering a radiotherapy treatment on a linear accelerator includes the cost of the accelerator, a simulator, a treatment planning computer, the treatment room, and the salaries of the radiographers and physicists concerned, as well as machine operating costs and interest charges. Keeping these resources busy helps improve overall return on investment and minimize equipment payback timeline.

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All of these benefits have helped Oncology Consultants keep their facilities busy and offer a better patient experience without worrying about how to arrange transportation to and from their clinics.

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