History
The Instituto Valenciano de Oncología (IVO) is a monographic center dedicated to the comprehensive care of oncology patients located in the Autonomous Region of Valencia, with a solid and long history of cancer care. IVO was inaugurated in 1976, its first extension took place in 1992 (a new building dedicated to outpatients), the second extension in 1997 (an extension of the hospital building) and the last in 2007 (New Building D was developed to connect the existing buildings through an underground passage).
The coordination of a team made up of 600 professionals including medical staff, nurses, assistants, technicians and other personnel, provides complete 24-hour care for cancer patients in all physical and mental aspects affected by the pathology.
Profile
The Medical Oncology Department is currently staffed by 14 medical oncologists (including the head of service and 3 more clinical heads), as well as the Genetic Counselling Unit, the Home Hospitalisation Unit, the Haematology Service and the Continuous Care Unit (Palliative Care Unit), which features four additional physicians, nurses and auxiliary staff. The Medical Oncology department has an infusion day hospital unit with 51 treatment bays and 34 hospitalisation beds. It also has a dedicated Clinical Trials Unit, including an Early-Phase Clinical Trial Unit. Data from the centre's annual report shows that among the patients treated in 2023, 7,211 were new patients and 23,602 were prevalent individuals (in the process of treatment or monitoring of the disease).
Specialities
Our hospital has 34 services and units, all dedicated to the care and treatment of cancer patients, organised independently and coordinated around the Medical Director of the centre. The professionals at our centre work according to the functioning of their own service or unit and collaborate to provide comprehensive care to patients which is directed by the multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTB). At the IVO there are 10 MTB, formed by experts from the main specialities according to the type of tumor: medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgery, urology, dermatology, radiodiagnosis, nuclear medicine, pathological anatomy, molecular biology, psychology, nursing, etc.
Palliative and Supportive Care
The Palliative and Supportive Care Unit, called the Continuous Care Unit (CCU) within our centre, is comprised of 3 doctors, a nurse and an administrative assistant. One of the doctors is specialised in Medical Oncology and develops her care in the hospitalisation ward. Another doctor is a specialist in Internal Medicine and the third doctor is a specialist in Family and Community Medicine. All of them carry out their activities between the symptom control consultation for outpatients, the hospital support team responding to inpatient inter-consultations and the care for palliative patients who are at home.
Last update: September 2024
