Submitted by the Ohio State University.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute has recently been designated a Comprehensive Center of Excellence in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lymphatic Diseases by the Lymphatic Education and Research Network.
This designation is given to hospitals that meet stringent quality standards for medical care of lymphedema and lymphatic diseases (LD) in patient communities, including oncology.
The OSUCCC – James is one of 11 hospitals nationwide and the only hospital in Ohio to achieve this quality designation.
The Lymphatic Education and Research Network is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 to fight LD and lymphedema through education, research and advocacy. The Center for Excellence in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lymphatic Diseases is a quality designation awarded to programs providing the best multidisciplinary clinical care and services for individuals affected by LD and their families through a geographically diverse network of local and/or regional clinical centers.
To achieve this designation, centers must demonstrate that they provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary clinical services to patients and families affected by LD, including follow-up services to ensure optimal clinical management. These include:
– lymphedema-specific clinics
– access to genetic testing
– additional related on-site services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychiatric/psychological and, nutritional counseling.
The OSUCCC – James LD team includes six plastic surgeons who specialize in microsurgical techniques required for lymphatic surgery, and partnerships with cardiovascular medicine and ambulatory rehabilitation, including more than a dozen dedicated physical therapists certified by the Lymphology Association of North America.