History
The Ina Central Hospital was founded by the Ina City government in 1947 and is the medical centre for the Kami-Ina district, serving a population of 200 thousand. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare designated our hospital as a central institution for cancer treatment in 2005.
The Department of Medical Oncology was founded in April, 2014. Then in 2020, the Department of Medical Oncology and the Palliative Care Team united to form the “Ina Comprehensive Cancer Treatment Centre” (Ina CCTC).
In 2021, the “Chemotherapy Support Team (CST)” was formed to assist physicians attending cancer patients with persistent pain, adverse effects, and psychological and social problems.
In 2022, the “Precise Medicine Support Team (PMT)” was formed to promote precise medicine with cancer genome analysis.
Profile
The Ina CCTC is composed of the following teams who work together in close collaboration, medical oncology, palliative care, chemotherapy support, and precise medicine support. The CCTC consists of two certified medical oncologists, an exclusive palliative care doctor, an exclusive psycho-oncologist, three certified palliative care nurses, three exclusive pharmacologists for chemotherapy, and an exclusive medical social worker. We also work with physical-therapists and dietitians. The PMT includes a pathologist, laboratory technicians, a gynaecologist, and a certified genetic counsellor.
We have 10 exclusive beds for hospitalisation, 2 rooms for outpatient clinics, one ambulatory rest room for outpatients, and an ambulatory chemotherapy centre with 13 beds and 7 sofas attended by 4 exclusive nurses.
Among 9,987 visits to department of oncology in 3 years (2020-2022), there were 475 newly referred patients. Among them, 110 patients for palliative care, and 265 for chemotherapy.
Specialities
Referrals featuring solid tumours originating from gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary tract, makeup 60% of our patient referrals. The rest include haematological malignancy (11%), lung cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, cancer unknown primary, or head and neck cancers.
Along with the clinical oncology service, we investigate QOL maintenance for our patients and their caregivers under chemotherapy.
Using patient and caregiver reported outcomes, recorded on questionnaires and electronic devices, we measure and check QOL and adverse effects within their day-to-day life. Our community medical staff and institutions deliver support for patients under chemotherapy and after the termination of chemotherapy.
Palliative and Supportive Care
The multi-disciplinary palliative care team of our hospital provides comprehensive oncological care and services including palliative care, prophylaxis and treatment of adverse effects, social support, and works in partnership with our regional health service.
The oncology and palliative care teams hold a weekly meeting for all the palliative cases referred from all departments. Another meeting for patients under treatment at the ambulatory chemotherapy centre is also held by oncologists, palliative care nurses, oncology pharmacists and oncology nurses. Some briefing reports about support and palliative care are made for the attending doctors in these meetings.
The outpatient clinics for palliative care are available every weekday. Patients’ caregivers with physiological or psychological problems are also treated in this clinic.
In 2022, the palliative care team supported 516 new patients. 28% of them were not cancer patients (chronic heart failure, neurological disease, and others). During this time, 30% of the cancer patients were flagged as requiring support via their response to the QOL questionnaire during admission, this was an automatic trigger for palliative care services.
Last update: September 2023
