Administrators request $2M for renovations to treatment space in U-M's Cancer Center

About 6,300 square feet of clinic space on level B1 of the Cancer Center is slated for renovation so adult infusion services staff can comfortably increase its capacity.

The space was vacated when pediatric infusion services, as well as all bone marrow services, were moved to the C .S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital in December when the new facilities opened.

In the interim, about two-thirds of the space has been claimed by doctors and new faculty members for use as examination rooms, said Nicole Fawcett, manager of cancer communications.

Currently, the adult infusion treatment center is “extremely full,” Fawcett said.

Ora Pescovitz, executive vice president for medical affairs, and Timothy Slottow, executive vice president and chief financial officer, have submitted a request to the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents to authorize the project. The board meets Thursday afternoon.

Clinic spaces would be outfitted to treat adults instead of pediatric patients, and several offices would be converted to exam rooms.

Waiting rooms would also receive an upgrade.

Doctors that have made use of the space in the interim would be incorporated into the final plan, Fawcett said.

Renovations would cost about $2 million and would be completed in small portions to minimize disruption to patient care, Fawcett said. The project would be completed by spring of 2013.

Administrators anticipate that the construction may be paid for by bond proceeds or by increasing the commercial paper issuance under the commercial paper program.

Chemotherapy and other like treatments administered at two other UMHS clinics outside of the hospital would be unaffected by the renovations.