- What specific programs or services has your institution introduced to improve patient access to cancer care?
At Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care, our team of nurses and navigators connects patients with our clinicians and services. The intake team expedites the scheduling of appointments with the clinicians appropriate for each patient’s needs and assists patients in collecting necessary medical records and laboratory or imaging results, dramatically reducing the time from initial call to a meaningful first visit. Dedicated patient navigators help streamline evaluation and treatment by scheduling appointments and scans, coordinating care across multiple providers, and offering consistent support so that patients can focus on their health without the added stress of managing logistics.
2. How does your hospital integrate multidisciplinary teams to enhance treatment planning and delivery?
Integrated multispecialty care is our practice model. Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care is organized into disease-focused teams, which include physician specialists, advanced practice providers, nurses, navigators, other professionals, and administrative staff. Multidisciplinary case conferences, which include the oncology staff, pathologists, radiologists, genetic counselors, social workers, and others, meet regularly to ensure that treatment planning is individualized, patient-focused, and evidence-based.
3. Can you share any recent advancements in technology or treatment modalities adopted by your institution?
Valley is at the forefront of providing advanced treatment modalities and innovative technology. Valley offers ExacTrac Dynamic Surface Tracking Technology for radiation treatment. ExacTrac is a revolutionary technology that uses advanced 3D surface imaging to monitor and position patients during each radiation session, enabling exceptional accuracy. Traditionally, radiation therapy required the use of permanent tattoos on patients’ skin to ensure consistent and accurate positioning throughout their treatment course. ExacTrac’s non-invasive and tattoo-free approach enhances patient comfort and dignity throughout their treatment journey.
Valley now offers bispecific antibody therapy for patients with hematologic and selected solid tumors who have progressive cancer. These antibodies bind to two different proteins in the body, activating a patient’s immune system to destroy malignant cells. In addition, we collaborate with Mount Sinai’s Tisch Cancer Center to offer CAR-T therapy to Valley patients. In this innovative treatment, the body’s immune cells are modified and equipped with receptors that allow them to recognize and attack cancer cells.
4. What initiatives have been implemented to support patients’ emotional and psychological well-being during treatment?
Patients are screened for depression and emotional distress, evaluated by our social work staff, and referred to mental health professionals when appropriate. We provide a full complement of support services, including nutritional counseling, massage, and physical and occupational therapy. These services are integrated into treatment plans to help patients manage side effects, maintain strength, and improve quality of life. Other services include fertility preservation and sexual health. We also offer pain management, acupuncture, and palliative care. Scalp cooling is offered to patients to reduce the incidence of chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
Our team includes financial advocates who help patients negotiate the complexity of insurance and the high cost of drugs. With the support of generous donors, we have been able to provide gift cards for food, gas, and other essentials for patients who meet strict criteria for financial need due to the high cost of cancer treatment.
Support for patients extends well beyond active treatment through a wide range of survivorship initiatives. We hold virtual lectures for breast cancer survivors, providing community access to expert-led sessions on topics that matter most to survivors, such as heart health, bone health, sexual health, and mental health.
5. How does your hospital engage with the community to raise awareness and promote cancer prevention?
Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer collaborates extensively with our Community Health Department to provide access to high-quality cancer educational programs that are vital for healthy, vibrant communities. We offer a wide range of education, prevention, and wellness programs that are aimed at enhancing the population that we serve. This includes, but is not limited to, Virtually Valley video series, Speaker’s Bureau, classes, events, Valley magazine, and our various social media platforms. In 2024, we hosted “A Night of Sexual Health” for gynecologic cancer survivors and “A Night of Radiance” for all those impacted by breast or gynecologic cancers. The sessions were focused on body image, movement, and personal empowerment.
Valley also partners with the Bergen County Health Department and offers breast, cervical, and prostate cancer screening to eligible patients via the Bergen Cancer Education and Early Detection (CEED) Program. The CEED Program allows under or uninsured men and women access to cancer screening(s).
