After undergoing a year of renovations Parkland Health & Hospital System's new expanded Oncology Clinic opened its doors to patients on May 5. Tripling in size and now encompassing the entire second floor of the clinic tower, patients will have larger exam rooms, individual chemotherapy rooms and added privacy.

The Oncology Clinic is one of Parkland’s fastest growing services, handling 20,000 visits per year.

"With continued growth of approximately 250 referrals to the clinic each month, the current space was no longer adequate to meet the needs of Parkland's cancer patients," said Deborah Fleming, director of nursing, Medicine Services. "The additions to the clinic will provide a more comfortable atmosphere for our patients."

Exam rooms increased from nine to 19. Also added are a larger waiting area, triage room and lab services area. Pharmacy services continue to be available in the clinic but now pharmacists have three times the space to handle the numerous prescriptions filled each day as well as complex chemotherapy treatments.

Previously, chemotherapy patients shared nine chairs sitting arm to arm, however the new clinic offers 24 individual private spaces. Two rooms for procedures such as bone marrow biopsies have been added as well as three additional inpatient rooms for patients waiting to be admitted to the hospital.

American Cancer Society information, prosthesis and wig fitting will be provided by a social worker in a special room located near the waiting area.