Clinical Component

Navigating the Clinical Component

The Cabrini Cancer Center operates a community-based oncology practice across two locations with a dedicated infusion program. The team manages a solid tumor caseload weighted toward breast, colon, lung, and prostate, supported by on-site imaging, pharmacy, radiation oncology, and an APP team that handles first call.

Clinical Environment

Sites: Cabrini Cancer Center South on the hospital campus, Cabrini Cancer Center North

Exam Rooms: 8 across the practice

Infusion Capacity: 16 chairs with dedicated infusion nurses

Practice Mix: 90 percent outpatient, 10 percent inpatient

EMR: Epic

Accreditation: Commission on Cancer

Case Mix

Case mix can be tailored to physician interest. Most current physicians prefer solid tumors. A physician with malignant hematology training would have the option to retain cases that currently transfer out of the area.

Daily Patient Volume

• Total: 17 to 20 patients per clinic day
• New patients: 2 to 3 per day
• Follow-ups: balance of the day, with full clinic days averaging about 20 follow-up visits

Call Structure

• Frequency: 1:4 physician call
• First call: handled by 3 APPs, primarily for oncology
• Physician role: backup to APPs
• Inpatient workflow: hospitalists admit and bed inpatients, oversee overnight, then consult oncology the following day
• New inpatient consults: are worked up by NP or PA
• Inpatient consult volume: approximately 2 to 3 per day
• Physicians rarely need to come in during evening hours

APP and Support Team

• 3 APPs across the practice (1 NP, 1 PA, 1 NP)
• 1 medical assistant per provider
• Cabrini Cancer Center North has dedicated NP and PA coverage
• Plan to add an additional NP once the new physician is in-house

On-Site Clinical Resources

• Pharmacy at the Cabrini Cancer Center
• Radiation Oncology with 2 Varian TrueBeam linear accelerators
• Hospice and Palliative Care programs
• Surgical specialty support
• Imaging at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, including CT (angiography, arthrography, low-dose lung screening, myelography, urography, PET), MRI at 3T and 1.5T plus stand-up open MRI, ultrasound, general radiology, and nuclear medicine
• Labs at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital

Multidisciplinary Care

The program supports collaboration across oncology, surgery, radiation oncology, and radiology, with tumor board participation as part of standard care planning.

Specialty Referrals

Cases that exceed the program’s scope are referred to:

• LSU Cancer Center Shreveport, 90 minutes
• Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2 hours
• MD Anderson Houston Cancer Center, 4 hours

Subspecialty and Career Development

The community oncology setting allows physicians to shape their case mix around clinical interests. Malignant hematology subspecialty interest would expand the program’s local capabilities and reduce out-of-area referrals. Cancer screening volume from the hospital-employed primary care network supports a steady pipeline of new patient referrals.