Children with cancer will be able to get the care they need in one location under a new plan announced Thursday by Women and Children's Hospital and Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Kaleida Health Chief Executive Officer James Kaskie says Roswell will operate a center of excellence for pediatric cancer care on a dedicated floor in the future home of Children's on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus.
With both hospitals offering separate, but complementary, services for nearly 40 years, hospital leaders say having all the services under one roof will benefit patients, their families, doctors and staff.
"We are taking the strength of two wonderful organizations and we're saying together, we can take what we have, which is very good, and make it better," Kaskie said.
Roswell Park President and CEO Dr. Donald Trump says it's hard to overestimate the advantages of having all the programs in one location.
"It's an advantage in terms of efficiency [and] a physician's time, but most importantly ease of care for patients. And it's safer for patients. Regardless of all the precautions we take, when you move a sick individual across town, it induces other variables that aren't good," said Trump.
Kaleida Health is planning to open to the new John R. Oishei Children's Hospital at Ellicott and High streets on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus in early 2016.