History
The Comprehensive Cancer Centre is a part of the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG). The UMCG is the referral centre for the Northern part of the Netherlands with a population of approximately 2.5 million. Besides the tertiary referral role the hospital has maintained its role as a public hospital since the founding in 1797. Activities are focused on 3 key areas: treatment, research and teaching.
Profile
- 1300 inpatient beds, including the Comprehensive Cancer Centre
- All specialties in oncology, including medical oncology, haematology, surgery, radiotherapy, neuro-oncology, urology, gynaecology, orthopaedics, head and neck oncology and genetic counselling
- Multidisciplinary tumour boards for the various cancer types
- Bone marrow transplant unit
- Radiotherapy, including proton facility
- Imaging services
- Endoscopy centre
- Multidisciplinary palliative care team
- A mobile hospice unit
- Pain Centre
- Psychosocial and spiritual care services
- Teaching of graduate and post-graduate courses
- Research laboratories (medical oncology, haematology, pediatrics, surgical)
Specialities
We have dedicated multidisciplinary teams who treat and perform research in the field of all common as well as rare solid cancers and haemato-oncological malignancies, including a bone marrow transplant unit and CAR-T facility. Moreover, the staff is dedicated to teach young professionals.
Palliative and Supportive Care
Within the UMCG, there is a structured Palliative Care Team as well as a Pain Centre. These disciplines collaborate to support patients and their families on a consultation base. Within the philosophy of our hospital, the treating physician remains responsible for the care of his/her patient. To accomplish this philosophy, our team can be consulted by physicians and nurses from our hospital as well as general practitioners. Patients are seen in the hospital, at the outpatient clinic and if indicated at home. Moreover, guidelines with regard to symptom management have been developed and are available on the UMCG website for professionals. The daily consultations are performed by 3 medical oncologists, an internist geriatrician and 2 nurse practitioners. Beside these consultants, the multidisciplinary Palliative Care Team representatives of every medical discipline working at our hospital, e.g. an anesthesiologist, a radiation oncologist, a psychiatrist and a cardiologist are part of the team. Moreover, a social worker, a psychologist, a spiritual counselor, a transfer nurse and a general practitioner are also part of the team.
The Palliative Care Team is the initiator of the Expertise Centre of Palliative care. This Expertise Centre is part of a consortium in which of healthcare organizations, patients and families in the North-East part of the Netherlands collaborate. Research, teaching and patient care are integrated to improve the quality of palliative care in the region. Main themes are Advance Care Planning and spiritual care.
Last update: January 2024
