Allina Health’s Minnesota Community-Based Cancer Care

February 17, 2023
Dr. Anas Khanfar
Arvind Vemula, MBBS

Our patients appreciate having care team members who are part of their close-knit, local community. Patients consistently see the same practitioners, who get to know them and often know their families. Our providers understand their clinical status and what is happening locally that may affect their day-to-day lives.

We consistently rank in the 90th percentile in patient satisfaction scores. Patients are pleased with their care delivery and access. Our patient feedback reflects that they and their families appreciate accessing care close to home.

What services do AHCI’s regional sites offer?

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Patients can receive cancer care in their regional locations about 95% of the time. When they need more complex care, we collaborate with our tertiary care colleagues to ensure patients have continuity of care. In addition to office consultations, our community-based diagnostic tests and treatments include:

  • CT and MRI radiology scans
  • Mobile PET scans
  • Infusion care, including chemotherapy
  • Port insertion for intravenous access
  • Cancer diagnostic biopsies
  • Paracenteses or thoracenteses
  • Surgical procedures to treat certain cancers

How AHCI’s regional cancer centers provides high-quality cancer care

AHCI’s providers consistently practice high-quality care throughout our system.

Consistent cancer care best practices

AHCI’s community-based cancer centers follow the same best practices as our tertiary sites.

  • Clinical practice guidelines: We follow National Comprehensive Care Network guidelines.
  • Standardized pharmaceutical care delivery: We use an oncology-specific pharmacological software (called Beacon) for our drug protocols. This process ensures delivery of standardized drug regimens throughout our system.
  • Clinical research trials: We screen and can enroll eligible patients in clinical research trials.
  • Oncology tumor boards: We routinely review complex patient cases with other colleagues, such as surgeons, radiation oncologists, pathologists and other practitioners.

Resources for care coordination

We coordinate patient care using various multidisciplinary resources.

  • Access to other clinical professionals: We can refer patients to other clinical service providers, including social workers, nutritional therapists, physical therapists and palliative care practitioners.
  • Financial care navigator: Our financial care navigator focuses exclusively on helping patients access resources and mitigates financial hardship associated with cancer care.
  • Oncology nurse navigators: Our oncology nurse navigators can help direct referrals to the appropriate sites and resources. These registered nurses help ensure that patients have the appropriate pre-diagnostic workup before their first oncology visit.

How to refer a patient to AHCI’s oncology services

We welcome the chance to work with referring providers. Physicians within Allina Health can send referrals through Epic, our electronic medical records system.

Providers outside of Allina Health can refer patients by calling our nearest cancer center: