Pediatric oncology infusion moving to Mitchell Cancer Institute

To better serve our patients and their caregivers, most children who receive infusion treatments for oncology conditions at USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital will begin receiving infusions at USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute (MCI) this month. The first patient started infusion treatments at MCI on Sept. 3, 2019.

A new infusion suite called the Hope has been developed specifically for pediatric oncology patients at MCI to combine most cancer infusions under one roof at the only center on the upper Gulf Coast that couples research and clinical care in one space.

The new Hope suite at MCI is decorated in an ocean theme and equipped with electronic tablets and televisions to help distract and entertain young patients during what can be hours-long treatments.

Plans call for members of each patient’s oncology care team to staff the new infusion suite at MCI. Infusions for other pediatric conditions will continue at Children’s & Women’s Hospital in the space formerly known as the USS Hope. That area will now be known as the Pediatric Infusion Center, hospital leaders said.

“We want the transition of pediatric infusions from our hospital to the new Hope at Mitchell Cancer Institute to be as seamless as possible for our patients and their families,” said Chris Jett, hospital administrator. “Combining these services in one central location brings a number of benefits to our patients and the health system.”