The health system also plans to build a bigger and better family health center in Camden.
MOORESTOWN TWP. -- Virtua Health is embarking on two major construction projects in the next few years at a cost of $57 million: Its first free-standing cancer center in Moorestown and a redesigned family health center in Camden.
The $35 million, 48,000-square foot Virtua Cancer Center is planned for the former site of Acme supermarket, directly across from Virtua's Health and Wellness Center at 401 Young Ave.
The new construction at Virtua's Camden campus at 1000 Atlantic Ave. will provide bigger and better facilities for the family health center, which is overcrowded in its current space.
Virtua President and CEO Rich Miller said that while current Virtua facilities offer cancer treatment, the company listened to patient input and decided that a dedicated facility would be the best place for those battling cancer.
"Cancer care is something that's mostly outpatient nowadays," Miller said.
The new center will house medical oncology and radiation departments, genetic counseling, lab testing, oncology support services and social work services and education rooms for staff and patients.
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Patients in the Infusion Center will have a view out the window of an "outdoor healing garden" as they undergo infusion therapy. A cancer boutique, operating in collaboration with Rizzieri Salon, will create wigs for women who have lost their hair due to treatment.
Miller said the center will be primarily staffed by Virtua physicians and medical providers, but Penn Medicine will be involved in the clinical research department.
Last year, Virtua partnered with Penn Medicine for oncology and neuroscience. Among other things, the alliance would give Virtua patients access to clinical trials and research done by Penn Medicine, Miller said.
It will likely be two years before the center is open for patients, he said. Before the roughly 18-month construction schedule can begin, Virtua needs a variance from the township because the project site is not zoned for medical facilities.
Peter Clifford, secretary to the Moorestown Zoning Board of Appeals, said the board is scheduled to discuss Virtua's variance in January.
"This is something that unfortunately is very needed in any community," Clifford said. "It's a benefit not only for Moorestownians but also for surrounding residents."
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Bigger and better in Camden
Virtua plans to replace the existing Kyle W. Will Family Health Center in Camden with a 36,000-square-foot facility with a price tag of about $22 million.
A conceptual rendering of the new primary care center planned for the Virtua Camden campus. Virtua needs a bigger facility with a better design, Miller said. They collaborated on the design with Jeffrey Brennan, a physician and founder of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers. The coalition helps medical providers keep track of "high-need" patients.
"We see a lot of patients not only with chronic conditions and diseases, but also patients who may be homeless and patients who may have behavioral health issues," Miller said. "They'll be back, so we want to make sure we are treating the whole person" and assisting with underlying issues, like homelessness.
Among the new features will be what Virtua has termed the "Ambulatory ICU" -- a clinical team approach to treat complex patients who come back often -- and group meeting rooms so family and friends of those with chronic conditions like diabetes and congestive heart failure can learn how best to deal with the illness.
The family medicine program at new facility will also have podiatry, physical therapy, dental and specialty care, as well as a laboratory.
Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.