The Plains Regional Medical Center – Cancer Center is the very first facility of its kind in southeastern New Mexico. It serves the region with facilities for both chemotherapy and state-of-the-art radiation therapy. The chemotherapy treatment area consists of nine stations, all of which look directly out onto a beautifully landscaped “healing garden.” The garden is accessible from the chemotherapy bay and is open for patients’ use. The area is complete with a shade trellis structure, trees, benches, and a water element which has been proven to psychologically aid in the healing of cancer patients and their families.
The radiation therapy section of the center uses the latest and most powerful multi-leaf collimator Varian Linear Accelerator to treat cancer patients with low and high photon energy. Intensive architectural programming of the facility led to the placement of the vault/linear accelerator, spiral CT room, dosimeter’s office, and physicist’s room in close proximity to each other – an arrangement which has proven very effective for promoting smooth operation and clear internal communications.
The Cancer Center features 12 infusion stations, a linear accelerator in a dedicated 3 foot-thick concrete vault, a CT scanner/simulator, treatment rooms, doctor and staff offices, consultation rooms, and administration areas.
