MSK’s Largest Freestanding Patient Care Facility Prepares to Open

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After years of planning and anticipation, the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is scheduled to open in January 2020.  

Located off York Avenue on 74th Street, the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering is the newest facility for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). It will be staffed by about 1,300 people on 25 floors, with 231 exam rooms, 110 infusion rooms, and 37 procedure rooms. The 750,000-square-foot center will also include 16 inpatient beds for patients who may require a short stay. Nearly every aspect of cancer care across numerous specialties will now be available under one roof. This will make it possible for patients to receive many of the services they need in a single visit, reducing their travel time and stress, and for care teams and specialists to foster face-to-face collaboration among colleagues.

The patient services that will bring this community to life will launch in two phases, starting in January 2020.

Leadership

Collaboration is central to the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering, a fact that is reflected in the structure of the leadership teams. Leadership at all levels is organized as a triad, with members representing the physician, nursing, and administrative staffs; this group who will makes decisions in partnership. This innovative approach starts at the top: The center is led by Paul Hamlin, MD, Medical Director at the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at MSK; Elizabeth Rodriguez, DNP, Nursing Director; and Jennifer Tota, Senior Director, Ambulatory Care.

“The David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at MSK is the culmination of years of effort across the institution toward improving patient care and creating a culture of healing,” explained Dr. Hamlin.

Designed for Healing, Built on a History of Innovation

The center was designed based on feedback and insights from patients and staff. Everything about it, from staff members’ interactions with patients to the layout of the building, actively seeks to restore a degree of control and choice to patients. Comfortable, flexible areas, including multiple dining options and a retail shop, are available throughout the building, offering a variety of activities and options for patients and their families.

Engaged, Embraced, Empowered

A primary goal is to ensure that everyone who enters the facility feels engaged, embraced, and empowered — that means both the MSK staff and the patients. Integrating the experience, wisdom, and creativity of the staff into the design gave employees a significant influence over the center’s approach to patient care and the patient experience.

Employees’ impact can be seen throughout the building. The 58-chair infusion unit on the 15th floor features “mobility zones” instead of a waiting room, so patients can choose how and where to spend their time. This was a suggestion from MSK’s nurses, as were many of the innovative elements incorporated into the inpatient area.

A Lasting Legacy

The David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering will be one of the greatest legacies of its late namesake, former MSK board member David H. Koch, who died on August 23, 2019. Mr. Koch donated $150 million — the largest single donation in MSK’s history — to build this state-of-the-art cancer care facility. During his lifetime, he made historic gifts and pledges to MSK, totaling $230 million. His generosity and vision will benefit thousands of people with cancer in the decades to come.