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null New services for cancer patients at the RI-MUHC Centre for Innovative Medicine

The Centre for Innovative Medicine and Cedars Cancer Centre jointly offer additional space for infusion treatments

Source: RI-MUHC. The Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM) at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) opened the doors of a brand-new infusion centre on November 2, 2020, adding valuable additional space for infusions at the MUHC. Located at the heart of the CIM, this new infusion area came about through extensive collaboration between staff at the CIM and at the Cedars Cancer Centre of the MUHC.

“Until now, research studies have shared the Cedars Cancer Centre’s infusion space with clinical care,” says Nadine Al Hage Ali, director of operations at the CIM. “Additional infusion space for research patients was needed to increase space for clinical patients.”

The treatment of cancer often requires infusion, a process that involves the intravenous administration of medication for chemo- or immunotherapies. Infusion can take several hours, and the cancer patient typically returns for repeated treatments over a period of weeks or months.

Staff at the entrance to the new CIM infusion area, opened Nov. 2, 2020
Staff at the entrance to the new CIM infusion area, opened Nov. 2, 2020

The busy infusion area at the Cedars Cancer Centre has patient comfort and safety at heart, providing a calm and airy space for patients undergoing infusion, plus expert nursing and cancer care support. The new CIM infusion centre offers a similarly supportive environment for research patients. Centrally located on the fourth floor of the C block at the Glen site, the CIM infusion centre has five chairs for infusion treatments. The area—and all processes—have been carefully designed to optimize patient care.

“Bringing the CIM infusion centre to fruition has been truly a team effort,” says Christine Bouchard, clinico-administrative coordinator of the MUHC Cancer Care Mission. “Both Cedars and CIM nursing teams worked hard to put together all the pieces required to launch the new facility, while always keeping the patient’s journey and their treatment plan at the forefront.”

“We are tremendously grateful to the hard-working teams involved in this win-win project,” adds Chantal Souligny, director of nursing at the MUHC.

Staff preparing for the first patient in the new CIM infusion area
Staff preparing for the first patient in the new CIM infusion area

Nadine Al Hage Ali agrees. “The relationships between cancer care providers at the Centre for Innovative Medicine and the Cedars Cancer Centre will improve our ability to conduct cutting-edge research while continuing to provide exceptional care to cancer patients.”

Last week, the new CIM infusion centre welcomed its first patient, Mr. Luigi DeMartinis
Last week, the new CIM infusion centre welcomed its first patient, Mr. Luigi DeMartinis

Cancer care teams seeking more information about the CIM infusion centre are invited to contact clinical.research@muhc.mcgill.ca

November 11, 2020


About the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM)

The Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM) is a fully equipped “research hospital within a hospital.” The CIM hosts and facilitates pediatric and adult clinical research studies, offering access to a full range of specialized equipment, staff and services in an environment dedicated to clinical research. The CIM is part of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), located at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Glen site and the Montreal General Hospital (MGH).