Quality Cancer Care Close to Home

In recent days, several articles have appeared regarding cancer care in Ventura County. One of the subjects was the departure of Dr. Bernard Salick. In an article that appeared in the Ventura section of The Times, it is stated “that a premier facility in Westlake could stem the tide of Ventura and Santa Barbara county residents traveling to Los Angeles to find quality cancer treatment”

I have been practicing medical oncology and hematology in Ventura County for 21 years. Quality cancer care has always existed here, and each year, with the addition of new physicians, hospital expansion programs, new diagnostic equipment, and improved therapeutics both in medical and radiation oncology, it continues to flourish in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. This care existed prior to the inception of Salick’s facility and will continue long after he is gone! The oncology community as a whole has always availed itself of services of the tertiary care facilities in Los Angeles largely for the unusual cases or those requiring services not available closer to home. These referrals represent the minority of the cases the oncologists care for in their practices.

Comprehensive cancer care or the coordination of a patient’s care by the medical oncologists, with the radiation oncologists, with surgeons and with primary care physicians is likewise performed and available through all medical and radiation oncologists in Ventura County as well as in every geographic location in the United States. This is the only way to give quality care to the patients and to try to obtain the best clinical outcomes! Despite news articles or advertisements appearing in the newspaper, comprehensive cancer care is universal for all in the oncologic specialties. Also, all chemotherapeutic, most immunological and biological therapies have been and will continue to be available to our patients locally in their medical oncologists’ offices!

The public should be keenly aware that cancer medicine is an ever-changing and progressive scientific field and that by definition, all oncologic specialists are on the “cutting edge” in their therapeutic choices for their patients. This is the only way to be!

Cancer care in Ventura County has been of the highest quality for at least the past 21 years that I’ve been in clinical practice. Others were here before me applying the same principles. That quality will continue to expand and change with new diagnostic and therapeutic discoveries. Patients should feel secure that the latest and most effective therapies will be offered by their oncologic specialist managing their illness.

STEPHEN V. RIGBERG, M.D.,

F.A.C.P.

Island View Hematology

and Oncology Medical Group

Ventura