Expanding Cancer Services at Pelham Medical Center

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s recent expansion to the existing Gibbs Cancer Center positions their Pelham Medical Center Campus in Greer, South Carolina, as the primary focus for the hospital system’s cancer services.

The expansion includes a 200,000-square-foot, seven-story medical office tower addition connected to the north side of the existing, one-story, outpatient radiation oncology and infusion facility. The infusion wing of the existing cancer center was renovated into eight registration bays with support spaces to allow for a seamless patient journey throughout the hospital.

The Cancer Center’s New Look: A Comforting Patient Experience

The tower addition provides a new, light-filled face and entrance to the cancer center complex. The entrance lobby opens to a seven-story glazed atrium space with expansive views of the surrounding mountains and plenty of daylight. Patients have easy access to the first-floor registration area, blood draw and laboratory, outpatient pharmacy, image renewal and food service from the lobby. On this level, a large, dividable conference room serves as an on-the-spot, adaptable meeting space.

Cancer outpatient rehabilitation services are located on the second floor along with a resource library and various therapy rooms. While administration and physicians’ offices are located on the third floor, the sixth floor houses three clinics, each with 12 exam rooms. The seventh floor is outfitted into a forty-chair infusion clinic including an infusion pharmacy located in the center of the floor. The infusion chairs are divided into eight private rooms and thirty-two open bays with a small infusion laboratory located on the same floor as well.

Enhanced Site Design Connects and Simplifies

Site circulation was reoriented to accommodate the expansion. An existing parking lot was demolished and new parking lots were constructed to support the tower and to supplement displaced parking. A new entrance provides access to the tower addition and a “central park” was constructed between the hospital and the cancer center to provide respite and green space. The existing road between the hospital and cancer center was rerouted to make room for the tower footprint while truck service and emergency vehicle access is provided on the back side of the facility for more direct and uninterrupted access.

An on-grade connector provides off-stage access to the original radiation vaults along the west side of the existing cancer center and an overhead connector traverses the road to provide direct access to the original hospital for uninterrupted care.