Novant Health institutes for heart, vascular and cancer open new state-of-the-art facility

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Novant Health today announced its seven-story cardiovascular and cancer outpatient facility in the greater Charlotte market is complete. Officially named the Novant Health Claudia W. and John M. Belk Heart & Vascular Institute and Agnes B. and Edward I. Weisiger Cancer Institute, the $165.9 million, 260,000-square-foot investment consolidates all outpatient cardiac and cancer specialists, treatment services and support programs in one location. The building welcomed patients Monday, Oct. 12.

Aerial stills and video of facility
B-roll of facility

"Novant Health is proud to open the doors of this premier facility offering leading-edge treatments, groundbreaking clinical research and personalized, whole-person care for patients with cardiovascular conditions and cancer," said Eric Eskioglu, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer for Novant Health. "This is a historic moment for our entire Carolina community to celebrate."

The medical journey for cardiac and cancer issues is often long and complicated, requiring patients to visit multiple providers at different locations, at different times. This new centralized location on the corner of Fourth Street and Queens Road in midtown Charlotte is designed to streamline care and improve the patient experience.

"Two of the major leading causes of death in North Carolina are cancer and heart disease. This state-of-the-art facility will house expert clinical care teams at the forefront of detecting, treating and curing both – and all under one roof," said Saad Ehtisham, president of Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center and Novant Health greater Charlotte market. "Patients and their families now have one home where they can access the most advanced care right here in the heart of Charlotte." 

Every detail of the building is designed with the patient in mind and reflects an environment of healing, including the nature-inspired color choices, the modern artwork, the comfortable furniture and the use of natural light throughout the facility.  

The facility's first floor features services and amenities, intended to support both cardiac and cancer patients and their families, include:

• Tansukh, Sarla and Rajesh Ganatra Lobby
• Mecklenburg Radiology Resource Center where patients and families can access printed and online healthcare information
• Boutique where patients experiencing hair loss can choose a wig
• Living Well Café with indoor and outdoor seating featuring a healthy menu that is both delicious and cardio and cancer protective.  
• Bev and Jim Hance Interfaith Chapel, an area dedicated to quiet reflection
• Charlotte skyline mural with special LED lighting capabilities      
• Specialty pharmacy specific to cardiac and cancer medications and therapies

Belk Heart & Vascular Institute  

The Belk Heart & Vascular Institute brings together 32 cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and vascular surgeons offering innovative and life-changing care for patients with heart and vascular diseases in one location. The specialty clinics include noninvasive cardiac testing, electrophysiology, cardiac rehabilitation, cardio-oncology, heart failure, interventional cardiology, preventive cardiology, structural heart intervention, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, valve replacement, noninvasive vascular lab and peripheral arterial disease.

"In the past, a patient may have had to walk as many as 7,000 steps in one day during their care journey from testing sites to clinics to a treatment center," said Gary Niess, MD, system physician executive, Novant Health Belk Heart & Vascular Institute. "Thanks to the Claudia W. and John M. Belk family, and a host of dedicated community members, we'll now be able to deliver the whole-journey care our patients need all in one place, saving those 7,000 steps for rehabilitation and recovery."

Special features:

• The heart valve clinic, which combines therapeutic options and state-of-the-art technologies to treat heart valve disease. Here, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons come together to evaluate and plan the best options for each patient, which may include traditional open-heart interventions, minimally invasive approaches or completely percutaneous repairs and replacements of heart valves. 
• Outpatient vein procedures including vein ablations.
• IAC-accredited vascular laboratory, which provides noninvasive ultrasound evaluations of vascular disease, including carotid disease, deep vein thrombosis, venous disease, arterial disease perforator vein and venous insufficiency.      
• Congestive heart failure clinic.
• The Bank of America Wellness Center offers programs for cardiac and cancer patients, including exercise therapy, education on lifestyle and disease management, nutrition counseling along with mindfulness, well-being and social support. Those programs and services include:   
• Comprehensive gym with state-of-the-art equipment and walking track.
• Cardiac rehabilitation program to help cardiac patients learn to exercise safely and regain quality of life.  
• Pulmonary rehabilitation program to help patients with lung disease better self-manage their condition.
• Cancer wellness program designed to help patients learn how to thrive during and after cancer treatment through exercise, education and social support.
• Nutrition services to strengthen a patient's immune system which significantly reduces risk of disease and supports healing during treatment.   
• The Prevention Clinic applies a personalized approach to determine a patient's risk of a cardiovascular event and then appropriately lowers that risk through lifestyle change and drug therapy.
• Cardio-oncology program specializes in preventing and treating heart disease in patients undergoing cancer treatment.  

Weisiger Cancer Institute   

The Weisiger Cancer Institute brings together 32 cancer specialists representing 12 specialty clinics, including gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary, genitourinary, head and neck, gynecologic, breast, hematology and thoracic oncology. Additionally, the institute offers advanced treatments, radiation oncology, breast cancer care, cellular therapy and developmental therapeutics. The institute provides high-level treatment technology, including two linear accelerators.

"At Novant Health, we take cancer care personally," said Matt McDonald, MD, gynecologic oncologist and physician lead for the greater Charlotte market. "The Weisiger Cancer Institute will not only bring the patient experience to the next level, it will give our physicians the space they need to advance clinical trials, research and innovation. Our patients deserve, and will have, access to life-giving care right here in our region."

Special features:

• Dedicated area for cancer research and phase I, II and III clinical trials gives patients access to the newest treatments available.
• 80 chemotherapy infusion suites with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Charlotte skyline.
• Multidisciplinary care provides patients the opportunity to meet with multiple top cancer experts in one place and at one time to explore best treatment options, ask questions and address concerns. 
• Sherry Strong Integrative Medicine, a holistic center that addresses the physical, emotional, spiritual and environmental needs of cancer patients to promote health and wellness.
• Cellular therapy program gives patients access to advanced cancer treatments, including CAR T-cell therapy to treat a wide range of cancer and blood disorders.
• Genetic testing and counseling.  
• Cancer rehabilitation services, including wellness and fatigue management, physical, occupational and speech therapy, nutritional counseling and lymphedema services.
• Cancer nurse navigators provide one-on-one support from diagnosis through follow-up care.
• Palliative care program helps patients manage symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment.     

The Novant Health Claudia W. and John M. Belk Heart & Vascular Institute and Agnes B. and Edward I. Weisiger Cancer Institute is located at 125 Queens Road, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28204 and has an eight-story dedicated parking deck for patients and visitors. Vannoy Construction is the lead contractor and McCulloch England Associates is the architect.

About Novant Health

Novant Health is an integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient facilities and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to communities in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,600 physicians and over 29,000 employees that provide care at nearly 700 locations, including 15 hospitals and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. In 2020, Novant Health was the only healthcare system in North Carolina to be included on Forbes' Best Employers for Diversity list. Diversity MBA Magazine has also ranked Novant Health third on its 2019 list of "Best Places for Women & Diverse Managers to Work." Novant Health provided more than $993.2 million in community benefit, including financial assistance and services, in 2019.

For more information, please visit our website at NovantHealth.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE Novant Health

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