John R. Marsh Cancer Center
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Located at
Suite 129
Robinwood Medical Center
11110 Medical Campus Rd.
Hagerstown, MD

Contact
1-800-221-1808
301-665-4650

When taking on an opponent like cancer, having the right team on your side can make all the difference. In 2004, Washington County Hospital’s John R. Marsh Cancer Center added a clinical oncology pharmacy specialist to their team of doctors, nurses, and staff to provide the highest quality of care for patients seeking cutting edge cancer treatment.

Oncology pharmacy specialists are trained to have an extensive knowledge of medications used to treat cancer. They provide care to patients with cancer by offering specific medication recommendations based on a patient’s cancer diagnosis, current medications, and other diseases the patient may have, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. The John R. Marsh Cancer Center is one of just a handful of cancer centers that offers this valuable specialty service.

As a part of the patient care team, oncology pharmacy specialists serve as an information resource for the oncologists in regard to drug effectiveness, adverse reactions, side effects, and data from clinical trials. They consult with physicians to try to predict, prevent, identify, or resolve any complications that may arise from medication.

In addition, they help to ensure care is consistent with appropriate clinical guidelines and the most up-to-date medical literature. Other duties include medication reconciliation, screening, and advice on interactions with other drugs or food, and appropriateness of therapy based on how the patient will metabolize the medication.

Having a person on site that specializes in cancer medications allows the John R. Marsh Cancer Center to offer a bridge between prescribed care and taking medicines. As a clinical oncology pharmacy specialist at the center, Michael Madsen, PharmD, BCOP, spends most of his day talking to patients and families about their cancer treatment and answering questions or concerns they may have.

Michael has an assistant who mixes the chemotherapy drugs on site so that many medications can be made based on the vital signs of the patient on that day. “Teresa Minnick, CPhT, is a certified IV technician who takes care of calculations, checks doses, and is a very integral part of what we do at John R. Marsh,” Michael said. “She handles much of the administrative duties that allow me to spend more face-to-face time with patients.”

 “Often, folks are initially anxious, so I sit and offer information about the possible side effects they may see today, next week, or what they might experience during the course of treatment,” Michael said. “I explain answers to typical questions like why we may draw blood, why we might hold the drug or reduce the dose that day, how to manage a certain rash, or hair loss questions. I try to make sure they understand what’s going on, the how and why of taking additional medicines. The patient has my phone number in case they need to call me.”

Michael had more than 3,400 patient visits in the past year. He sometimes sees clients at Washington County Hospital if they are admitted and calls patients at home to see how they are doing if necessary.

“The staff at the John R. Marsh Cancer Center tries to empathize with the patient’s needs in order to best help them. We offer a multidisciplinary approach to caring for people with cancer and have a knowledgeable and helpful staff,” Michael said. “Having an oncology pharmacy specialist if just one more way to help meet the needs of our patients.”