We provide a complete package of radiation therapy services to treat all types of malignancies as well as selected benign diseases. Our state-of-the-art equipment and treatment programs enable us to offer technologically progressive treatment options. Many of these options are not available in other area departments. Programs which are unique to Lahey Clinic include our RSA X-Knife radiosurgery system and our GammaMed Plus high dose rate remote after loading system.

The radiosurgery system is effective in the treatment of primary brain tumors, malignant metastatic and primary intracranial tumors as well as certain benign processes such as arteriovenous malformations, acoustic neuromas, and pituitary adenomas. The GammaMed system (HDR) is utilized for the treatment of intraluminal and intracavitary malignancies such as the management of prostate cancer, malignant bronchial obstruction, malignant billiary obstruction and malignant esophageal obstruction, as well as the adjuvant treatment of the vaginal apex after hysterectomy for endometrial cancer. The department offers a range of other unique treatment programs. We use CT assisted 3-D conformal external beam treatment planning in order to maximize dose to cancerous tissue while sparing normal tissues. In the comprehensive management of early stage breast cancer, we have available a wide range of electron beam energies for the boost treatment to the operative site. In addition, we have garnered international recognition for our heterotopic bone protocol for heteotopic ossification prophylaxsis. For localized prostate cancer, we are one of a few hospitals in Massachusetts providing the prostate seed implant treatment program and we are the first hospital in New England offering High Dose Rate brachytherapy for this condition. We are active in intraluminal brachytherapy for coronary artery restenosis.

Clinical Pathways/Outcomes Assessment
Lahey Clinic is committed to providing high quality radiation therapy care and options to our patients. We actively pursue development of extended clinical pathways, protocols and assessment/outcomes tools. On a weekly basis our faculty, physicists, technical, nursing and clerical staffs meet to discuss patient care management and to re-engineer processes and systems. We intend to achieve excellence and then to improve upon it.

Quality Incentives/Joint Planning
Lahey Clinic has a tradition and commitment to preserving the character of the affiliate institution in the process of developing an integrated delivery system. We have extensive experience working in a multi-institutional environment. Our department will share in the development of cross-institutional quality incentives and audits. Our administrators actively participate in joint planning meetings and network membership activities across institutional lines.

Case Management
Patients are seen within 48 hours of initial referral. All emergency patients are seen by a radiation oncologist on the same day of referral. Whenever clinically appropriate, these patients are planned and treated on that same day. Should a referring physician desire, their non-emergent patient will be seen within 24 hours. The radiation oncologist will contact the referring physician on the day of consultation and send a timely written report to the referring physician and the primary care physician.

24 Hour On-Call Service
There is a radiation oncologist on-call 24 hours a day, accessible to both patients and physicians. The technical and nursing staffs are on-call to provide emergency patient care whenever deemed necessary by the radiation oncologist.

Information Systems
Our department has an integrated information system (IMPAC). This system will enable us to manage our practice more efficiently and provide better quality care to our patients. Our goal is to link the Lahey radiation oncology network in order to increase the size of our data base, share information for patient care programs development, and create economies of scale.

Department Resources
Lahey Clinic offers a comprehensive range of external beam and brachytherapy radiation oncology services. The Radiation Oncology department treats approximately 1000 patients per year referred from multiple physician practices. Patients will come directly to the department and be registered on site.

Equipment consists of a Varian 6/100 linear accelerator, a Siemens Mevatron 74 linear accelerator with both photon and electron energies, a GammaMed Plus High Dose-Rate remote after loading system, an RSA X-Knife radiosurgery system, a simulator and an ADAC 3-D treatment planning system. Next year we plan to upgrade our treatment delivery equipment with a dual energy linear accelerator with electron capabilities and the latest in technology including multi-leaf collimation and dynamic wedges.

Faculty
The faculty complement is comprised of five physicians, all are board certified and have been in practice for over 10 years. The faculty members are active and hold committee assignments and memberships in a number of professional societies. They have authored publications both independently and collaboratively and routinely deliver professional presentations to their colleagues at national and international symposia. The faculty attends tumor conferences in several institutions wherein they present cases as well as provides expert radiation oncology consultation opinions to their colleagues.

Curriculum Vitae are available at request

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