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CentraState Medical Center

901 West Main Street
Freehold, NJ 07728
732/431-2000
www.centrastate.com

CentraState Medical Center is committed to bringing hope to cancer patients and their loved ones through a continuum of outstanding integrated programs in:

  • Disease prevention & risk assessment/management
  • Early detection, diagnosis
  • Inpatient and outpatient treatment
  • Rehabilitation
  • Patient/family education and support.

We take pride in offering one of the most advanced cancer programs in Central New Jersey in a caring and friendly community hospital setting.
CentraState’s comprehensive cancer program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer, which sets the standard for cancer programs nationwide.

Our pledge to provide consistent, high-quality cancer care is enhanced by our relationship with the American Cancer Society, which enriches our efforts to provide screenings, education, prevention and early detection programs, and support services.
The medical center has been awarded Magnet status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for our high-quality patient care and nursing excellence.

 

EARLY DETECTION & DIAGNOSIS

CentraState’s Radiology Department provides state-of-the art services to detect and diagnose cancer, including:

  • Ultrasound
  • Computed tomography (CT)
  • Positron emission tomography (PET)
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Our Nuclear Medicine suite offers the latest technology for delivering routine and specialized oncology services. These include bone scans, leukocyte and gallium studies, radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer, octreoscan for neuroendocrine tumors, and other imaging procedures that assist in providing a thorough diagnosis and staging work up for oncology patients as well as treatment options.

Our Women's Health Center, with its all-female team of registered radiology technologists, provides:

  • Mammography using the CAD (computer-aided detection) system for improved accuracy (increasing the rate of detection by up to 23 percent)
  • Bone densitometry
  • Stereotactic needle biopsy
  • Breast needle localizations.
  • The Women’s Health Center, CT Department, Nuclear Medicine, and Ultrasound are accredited by the American College of Radiology.

 

QUALITY MEDICAL CARE

Dedicated Inpatient Unit
The compassionate staff on our 16-bed oncology unit are committed to providing comfort and education in addition to high-quality cancer care. They include registered nurses credentialed in chemotherapy and nationally certified in oncology nursing as well as an oncology clinical nurse specialist. Some staff members also are trained in complementary care techniques that have proved helpful in minimizing stress and anxiety, and alleviating pain.

Every effort is made to provide a supportive and home-like atmosphere for patients and visitors. The unit features private and semi-private rooms. Visits by family and friends are encouraged, and accommodations can be arranged for overnight stays by family members. Room-service dining is available, offering patients the ability to order breakfast lunch and dinner when they want from a restaurant-style menu featuring an array of choices.

A spacious, comfortably furnished lounge on the unit features a library of books and periodicals, and cable television. Portable DVD players are available for patients to use in their rooms. Trained volunteers visit the unit to share time with patients seeking conversation and company. Complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, guided imagery, music for relaxation and Reiki are an integral part of the therapeutic environment.

Outpatient Infusion
Our outpatient infusion area provides a range of therapeutic and diagnostic services such as:

  • Chemotherapy infusions
  • Injections
  • Blood transfusions
  • Lab work testing
  • Bone marrow biopsies
  • Insertion of peripherally inserted central venous catheter lines
  • Flushing of in-dwelling catheters.

Surgical Oncology
CentraState's outstanding surgical oncology services include general, breast, gastrointestinal, prostate, thoracic and urologic and capabilities. We offer some of the most advanced technology available designed to enhance precision, maximize safety, and promote recovery, including two digital operating rooms equipped with voice-command controls, high-definition flat-panel displays for image-guided surgery and electronic documentation. These sophisticated capabilities make it possible to offer minimally invasive alternatives to traditional open surgery in appropriate cases—for example, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), a minimally invasive procedure used in diagnosing and treating lung cancer.

Radiation Oncology
Our Radiation Oncology Department offers the same advanced radiation treatments available at major cancer centers and employs leading-edge imaging technology to locate tumors and allow for more precise radiation therapy. The department is accredited by the American College of Radiology.

With our intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) capabilities, we can treat even the most difficult cancer cases. IMRT has revolutionized the treatment of prostate, head and neck, gynecologic and other cancers and is especially useful in treating tumors located close to the spinal cord, certain nerves and the heart. SRS treats brain tumors and other masses that are otherwise inoperable. CentraState is the first medical center in Monmouth and Ocean Counties with a BrainLAB radiosurgery system.

Among the first medical centers to use the Varian® On-Board Imager™ to perform image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), CentraState is the first worldwide to combine the On-Board Imager with Mosaiq™ image-enabled charting. IGRT uses 3-D imaging, including cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), to track changes in tumor size and shape and more precisely target the tumor prior to treatment. This results in better outcomes with fewer side effects.

CentraState’s brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy) arsenal includes prostate seed implantation and high dose rate (HDR) therapy. HDR may be recommended as an adjunct to external beam therapy (EBRT) or alone, and is used to treat breast (MammoSite®), prostate, rectal, skin, lung, esophageal and gynecologic malignancies.

Chemotherapy
Working in collaboration with physicians and nursing, the Pharmacy Department has an active role in the care and treatment of all cancer patients. The department uses state-of-the-art technology, including bar coding, in preparing chemotherapy treatments. Specially trained pharmacists use a system of double-checks and patient profiles in preparing all chemotherapy. Safety is further ensured at the point of delivery to the patient through our computerized Medication Administration Check system.
Clinical Trials/Research Studies

CentraState Medical Center is one of only a small group of hospitals nationwide designated as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Trials Support, and also is a clinical research site for The Cancer Institute of New Jersey. These affiliations make it possible for us to offer eligible patients advanced cancer treatments that would otherwise be unavailable.

Rehabilitation Services
The rehabilitation team offers traditional therapies such as early mobilization training, strengthening, activities of daily living, training and speech services. Advanced therapies are offered for treating lymphedema, which often occurs in patients who have undergone lymph node removal, and our program is one of the largest in the state.


SUPPORT SERVICES
The emotional and physical needs of patients and families are met through a multidisciplinary approach involving a variety of services and specialty programs:
Palliative Care services, coordinated by CentraState’s dedicated palliative care nurse, are designed to optimize the quality of life for patients and their families. Palliative care draws on a range of resources and professional expertise with the goals of preventing or relieving pain and other physical, emotional and/or spiritual distress. It is designed to work in partnership with the patient’s primary physician to ensure complete, well-coordinated care. Phone: (732) 303-5181.
The Cancer Navigator Program at CentraState helps patients and their caretakers to manage the tasks and problems that can arise while coping with cancer, with the primary goal of ensure that cancer patients receive quality diagnostic, therapeutic and support services on a timely basis. Navigator services are coordinated by an advanced-practice registered nurse who is certified in oncology, and range from assistance with accessing resources, to help with coordinating appointments and more. Phone: (732) 294-2584.

Social Work provides counseling services, referrals and discharge planning to help inpatients make a smooth transition.
Clinical Nutrition carefully evaluates dietary needs and provides specialized dietary plans and counseling.
Pastoral Care is a resource to help meet the spiritual needs of patients and families.
Support Groups that meet at CentraState include Patient & Family Cancer Support; Breast Cancer; Leukemia and Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma and Myelodysplasia; Lymphedema; Prostate Cancer; and Smoking Cessation.


PREVENTION & RISK ASSESSMENT/MANAGEMENT
CentraState’s new Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus adjacent to the medical center provides a range of services and resources that promote healthy living, wellness and lifestyle approaches to minimize risk and catch potential problems early, when they are most easily treated. For example:
The Health Awareness Center offers a variety of ongoing cancer education and prevention programs, lectures, screenings as well as smoking cessation classes and healthy-cooking demos. Phone: (732) 308-0570

The Fitness and Wellness Center offers state-of-the-art equipment, an Aquatic Center, and group fitness classes throughout the week. Phone: (732) 845-9400.
The Hereditary Oncology Prevention and Evaluation (HOPE) Program, available at CentraState through our affiliation with The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, offers counseling and testing for women and men concerned about their risk of developing cancer based on their family history or own prior medical history. Phone (866) 622-RISK.