TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

University Hospital To Halt 3 Cancer Therapies

ADVERTISEMENT

Published: October 15, 2008

TAMPA - University Community Hospital plans to discontinue three patient cancer therapies at the end of this month.

Declining profits and fewer patient visits are the reasons, said Phoebe Ochman, a hospital spokeswoman.

She said the hospital tried unsuccessfully to work with pharmaceutical companies to lower costs before the decision was made to cut the services.

Thirty-seven patients affected are being notified when they come in for Thyrogen injections, chemotherapy and Procrit therapy.

Letters with a list of centers that could provide the treatments should be in the mail this week, Ochman said.

Patients will need referrals from their doctors to transfer treatments. As for insurance transfers, Ochman said patients will have to match their coverage with the new providers.

"There is a remote possibility some may have difficulty finding another location," she said. "We'll work with that individual. We're not going to have anyone waving in the breeze."

University Community Hospital will continue to provide IV antibiotic and blood transfusion treatments. A total of 51 patients were receiving some form of therapy in the Infusion Center at the hospital's Fletcher Avenue location.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT