Cancer specialist visits closer to home in Manchester

When you or someone you love is facing cancer, every trip to an appointment takes time and planning.

You may need to arrange a ride, pay for gas or take time away from work and family.

AdventHealth Manchester is working to make some of those visits easier.

Through a new partnership with the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, eligible patients can meet with a cancer specialist from the AdventHealth Primary Care Clinic.

The first patient visit took place Oct. 20, marking a new option for families in Manchester and surrounding communities.

How your visit works

During your appointment at the Rural Health Clinic, an oncology-trained advanced practice provider will be there with you in person while a UK Markey Cancer Center specialist will join the visit virtually through a specially equipped exam room.

Together, the team can discuss your needs and help coordinate your next steps.

More support, less travel for some visits

For patients in Clay, Jackson, Leslie, Knox and Owsley counties, the service offers a way to connect with cancer specialists without traveling as far for every eligible visit.

Depending on your care plan, receiving some visits in Manchester may mean less time on the road, fewer travel expenses and more time for the people and activities that matter to you.

Your care team will help you understand which appointments can take place locally. Some tests, treatments or other services may still require travel.

"Access is not simply having a service somewhere in the system. It is designing care so distance does not become another burden of the diagnosis," said Nick Bejarano, CEO of AdventHealth Manchester.

Find out if this service is right for you

If you or a loved one needs cancer care, talk with your health care provider or contact AdventHealth Primary Care Clinic to learn whether a hybrid oncology visit may be an option for you.