PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Portsmouth Regional Hospital has opened its new radiation oncology service on the hospital’s main campus. PRH expects to begin treating radiation oncology patients April 1.
The new service will provide cancer patients with a complete continuum of care, from diagnosis through medical, surgical and radiation treatment options, allowing them to stay close to home and their support systems, according to hospital officials.
“Portsmouth Regional Hospital has always provided radiation consulting services through our partners, but now we are able to provide this comprehensive care to our cancer patients right here on our campus,” said Dean M. Carucci, CEO of Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “This is the final step that brings our cancer care full circle – allowing our patients to receive all of their cancer care close to home on the Seacoast, from diagnosis through every aspect of their treatment. The new suite is a beautiful, private space designed to provide our radiation patients with a seamless and comfortable experience.”
The radiation oncology team will provide radiation treatment for a wide range of cancer sites, including breast, lung, gastrointestinal, urological, gynecological, head and neck, and brain, as well as some noncancerous conditions. It will be able to treat patients using external beam radiotherapy and internal (brachytherapy) techniques.
“The PRH radiation oncology service is thrilled to be offering our community access to top-notch, cutting-edge radiation technology and expertise, all within one cohesive hospital system,” said Whitney Beeler, M.D., medical director of the hospital’s radiation oncology service line.
“Our providers collaborate with each other to help patients navigate quickly and seamlessly through what can often feel like an overwhelming journey,” she said. “Our goal is for patients to feel a sense of calmness and confidence while undergoing radiation therapy, and we will strive to make the experience a positive one.”
The new suite, located near radiology, has its own entrance to the left of the hospital’s main entrance, as well as convenient, designated parking for radiation oncology patients.
For more information on the new radiation oncology suite, visit portsmouthhospital.com/specialties/radiation-therapy or call 603-559-4188. Cancer patients outside the hospital who require radiation treatment can ask their oncologist for a referral to this new program.
Portsmouth Regional Hospital is a 234-bed acute care hospital serving residents of New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts. The private, tax-paying hospital is one of the area’s largest employers and is the only ACS Verified Level II Trauma Center on New Hampshire’s coast.
It is owned by HCA Healthcare, which operates three hospitals, three freestanding emergency rooms, an ambulatory surgery center, urgent care center, and 46 physician practices in New Hampshire, where it employs 2,600 colleagues and 554 physicians, provides $15.8 million in uncompensated care, and pays $43.8 million in taxes annually.
HCA Healthcare’s New Hampshire hospitals include Parkland Medical Center in Derry, Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, and freestanding emergency rooms in Seabrook, Dover, and Plaistow.