The Durham VA has become the first veterans health care system to provide in-home oncology treatments, according to a news release from the VA.
The initiative is part of Close to Me Cancer Care, a national program that was originally intended to provide care in outpatient clinics.
Ryan Palmer, a hematology and radiation oncology nurse manager at the Durham VA, recognized that some cancer treatments and therapies could be effectively administered in veterans’ homes, according to the release.
Army Veteran Glenn Spivey, 88, who suffers from prostate cancer, is one of the veterans benefiting from this program. Spivey receives a shot of Eligard, a hormonal medication that prevents the spread of cancer, every six months. Spivey said he finds the home visits much more convenient, especially given his age and mobility issues. “My wife is 91 and I’m just not as active as I used to be,” Spivey said. “The less we have to hit the road, the better.”
The new program offers home visits to veterans within 45 minutes to an hour of the Durham VA’s main facility and whose care does not require complex treatments.
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