Bone Marrow Transplant Facility Coming to Austin

Austin is finally getting its first bone marrow transplant center.

Thanks to a collaboration between St. David's HealthCare, the Texas Transplant Institute at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, the Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Networ, and Texas Oncology, the largest private practice oncology network in the state, Austinites with blood disorders will have access to a state-of-the-art treatment center that will include bone marrow transplant services.

Currently, patients must go to either San Antonio or Houston for these services.

A missing piece

Said Laurence Tokaz, M.D., medical director of St. David's Healthcare Blood Cancer Program:

There are very few things that a resident of Austin who's lived here for 25 to 30 years make them feel like they've got to go down the street to Houston, Dallas, San Antonio or New York. This is a piece of the puzzle that's been missing, and it's significant.

However, the new center will not be without its limits. For instance, it will only be capable of performing autologous stem cell transplants and not allogeniec transplants.

Filling the gap

Said David Huffstutler, president and chief executive officer of St. David’s HealthCare:

We are pleased to fill a critical gap in Austin’s health care infrastructure by bringing this service to the Central Texas region through a collaboration with the Texas Transplant Institute and San Antonio’s Methodist Healthcare.

The first phase of the new blood cancer treatment center opened this past May in the form of new outpatient clinic at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. The bone marrow transplant center is scheduled to open in early 2014 at the same location.

Source: St. David's