Scripps Health - All News for Scripps Coastal Medical Center

Scripps Participates in National Prescription Drug Take Back

2012-04-19T13:09:03-07:00

Scripps as part of the nationwide prescription drug take back day will host five drop-off locations in San Diego County. On Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., personnel will be available to accept unused prescription drugs from people who want to dispose of their medications safely and anonymously at the following Scripps Health locations:

Scripps Coastal Medical Center Carlsbad
2176 Salk Ave., Carlsbad

Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo
15004 Innovation Drive, San Diego

Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas
354 Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas

Scripps Green Hospital
10666 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla

Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista
435 H Street, Chula Vista

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department offers 23 locations in the community where the public can drop off unused drugs for proper disposal anytime of year. Visit the San Diego Sheriff’s Department website to find a location near you.

New Pap Guidelines: Is The Annual Exam Gone?

2012-04-09T11:15:15-07:00

Cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American women. In the 1930s, more American women died of cervical cancer than any other kind of cancer, including breast or lung. But in 1943, a new method for cervical screening was introduced. The Babeș-Papanicolaou test (named after physicians who pioneered the method), also called a “Pap smear” or “Pap test,” became the most successful cancer screening in history. Today, according to the American Cancer Society, there are fewer than 4,000 annual deaths due to cervical cancer, mostly among women who have never been screened.

Until now, physicians recommended that women receive an annual pap test, starting sometime in the teens. So when the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a set of new guidelines for cervical cancer screening on March 15, 2012, it introduced a significant change to women’s health care routines. Now, the guidelines suggest screening should begin no earlier than age 21, and for most women over the age of 30, the tests can be safely spaced three years apart. Similar guidelines released by the American Cancer Society on March 14 support that approach.

Overscreening Causes Harm

“In the case of pap tests, it turns out that more was not better,” explains Lily Tsai, MD, a Scripps gynecologist. “In recent years, as we have come to understand the natural history of HPV infection, we’ve seen convincing evidence that over-screening can cause harm to patients, both physical and psychological.”

Nearly all cervical cancers are the result of infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV)—a fact that was not established until recently. But not all HPV infections will cause cervical cancer. “It turns out that most people fight off HPV infections naturally without intervention,” Dr. Tsai says. “So annual Paps were identifying abnormal cells at a very early stage of infection or were non-diagnostic, leading anxious patients and providers to treat them more aggressively than was necessary.”

The most common diagnostic procedure for suspicious pap results is a colposcopy, or magnified examination of the cervix. If abnormal areas are visualized, additional studies such as cervical biopsy or endocervical curettage may be performed and examined in the lab for precancerous changes. A confirmed high level abnormality often leads to a cone biopsy of the cervix to remove affected tissue.

“Treatments are not always benign. An unnecessary cone biopsy, for example, may increase one’s chance of a weaker cervix, potentially leading to problems in pregnancy” says Dr. Tsai. Plus the anxiety caused by an abnormal pap test is also significant.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended spacing these screenings for appropriate women three years apart in 2009, and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) issued similar guidelines in 2006. The recently released guidelines are now in alignment with those developed by experts in the specialty.

Women Should Not Skip Annual Pelvic Exams

This does not mean, however, that women can skip their annual gynecological examination. “Pap tests are not the only reason to have an annual exam,” Dr. Tsai emphasizes. “Women still need to be examined yearly, either by their gynecologist or their primary care physician, for the remainder of the pelvic exam and breast exam.

The new guidelines suggest:

For women with no other risk factors, pap tests should start at age 21.
Between the ages of 21 and 30, cervical cell screening should take place at three-year intervals, with no screening for HPV.
After age 30, women should have a combined cervical smear and HPV test every five years or pap test alone every 3 years.
After the age of 65, women who have had previous normal results may discontinue pap tests.
If a woman has had serious cervical pre-cancer, she should continue being screened for 20 years after that diagnosis, even if she is past 65.
Women with additional risk factors (including previous abnormal Pap tests, exposure to diethylstilbestrol [DES] in utero, or a compromised immune system), pap tests should be more frequent.
If a woman has had a hysterectomy with removal of the cervix for benign reasons, there is no need for a Pap test.

Find an OB-GYN

If you need to find a gynecologist for regular pelvic exams, Scripps can help. Call 1-800-SCRIPPS (1-800-727-4777) to get a physician referral from a member of our call center or visit our doctor finder.

Get a regular dose of health news and information from Scripps

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How to Manage a Chronic Condition

2012-03-06T18:29:34-08:00

Being diagnosed with a chronic medical problem can be overwhelming. Management often requires routine monitoring, medication and lifestyle changes. While responding to symptoms and complications can seem isolating and confusing—those who suffer certainly aren’t alone. In fact, approximately 133 million people in the U.S. are dealing with one or more chronic medical conditions.

Chronic conditions not only take a heavy burden on those who suffer. They also drain the nation’s wallet. A recent report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) identified the “big nine” diseases or conditions that cost the US health care system billions. Here’s the list:

Arthritis
Cancer in remission
Chronic pain
Dementia
Depression
Type 2 diabetes
Post-traumatic disability
Schizophrenia
Hearing and vision loss

For patients with these conditions—and patients with other chronic ailments such as hypertension and heart disease—finding the right physician can be key to keeping chronic disease in check and preventing further complications.

The continuum of care: from primary care to specialist

Without regular care, conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease can get worse, create other health problems and even be life-threatening. In fact, chronic medical conditions account for about 70 percent of all deaths, according to the IOM.

Many chronic diseases and conditions require the care of a specialist, but having a primary care provider is an important too.

“Establishing a long-term relationship with your primary physician is essential to managing a chronic condition because they can recognize subtle changes in symptoms and treat the whole person,” says Dan Dworsky, MD, an internist at Scripps Health in San Diego. “Specialists may see patients for one facet of their care. Without that longitudinal care, the medical management of a chronic condition can fracture, with no one having an overall view of the patient.”

Dr. Dworsky also notes that this long-term relationship allows the physician to better understand how a patients’ illnesses are affecting them emotionally, physically, socially and financially.

Primary care—which can include internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics—also offers a focus on wellness and prevention. These physicians provide regular health screenings for other conditions and can educate their patients about lifestyle decisions that improve health and prevent the development of additional problems.

Setting goals for better primary care

For each visit with a primary care physician, it’s important to set a specific goal to accomplish during that visit, whether it’s discussing medication, tracking progress, getting information or working through a specific health challenge.

“Patients often come in with a list of problems and concerns,” says Dr. Dworsky. “As physicians, we want to know about all their health concerns, but a list can sometimes distract us from understanding the main purpose of the visit, which means we may not have sufficient time to discuss their chronic disease management.”

Dr. Dworsky suggests people establish their goals with their physician within the first few minutes. If the appointment was intended to discuss diabetes, bring a list of questions and concerns that are directly related to that visit. This can keep the visit focused so both the patient and doctor can have enough time to discuss the problem.

Find a primary care physician or internal medicine specialist

If you need to find a physician to help you manage a chronic disease or medical condition, call 1-800-SCRIPPS (1-800-727-4777) to talk to one of our physician referral specialists, or visit the Scripps Doctor Finder to search for a care provider that’s right for you.

Get a regular dose of health news and information from Scripps

Sign up to have health-related information from Scripps delivered to your inbox, including our monthly email newsletter. Designed to help you and your family get healthy and stay well, the publication contains timely and relevant consumer health news along with notices about classes, events and exclusive offers.

Is Your Diet Giving You a Headache?

2012-03-06T17:57:33-08:00

Nearly everyone experiences headache pain over a lifetime. It’s a common reason people visit their doctors—and a serious public health problem. According to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2003, headaches are one of the most common causes of pain and they result in a significant loss of productive time in the United States workforce.

“There’s no question that headache pain diminishes the quality of life for millions of people, but it’s not because there aren’t effective treatments available,” says Robert Bonakdar, MD, a physician at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego, California.

Those treatments include acupuncture, biofeedback, medication and psychotherapy. Yet even with these options, many headache sufferers don’t seek help, because they think the pain is only a minor problem. In other instances, headaches are not being properly diagnosed.

Dietary changes to help stop a headache before it starts

“What we have found is that most headache sufferers report some sort of trigger, often in their diets,” Dr. Bonakdar explains. “When this is the case, the solution may be as simple as identifying and avoiding these triggers.”

While many foods can cause headaches, some are more common than others. Dr. Bonakdar tells his patients to avoid the following whenever possible:

Allergenic foods
These are foods that can cause an allergic reaction. Some of the most common are peanuts and foods made with gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.
Additives
Pre-packaged and processed foods often contain additives to preserve their flavor, color and texture.
Artificial ingredients
These ingredients are common in a lot of diet foods to reduce the calorie content or serve as a preservative. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose are common headache triggers.
Aged foods
The aging process can create some naturally occurring compounds such as tyramine and tannins, both of which could be a headache trigger. These foods include wine, cheese, sauerkraut and cured meats.

“People should keep in mind that diet is just one component of headache management,” says Dr. Bonakdar. “It’s important to look at the whole person to develop a treatment plan that includes a healthy lifestyle, integrative therapies—and when appropriate—medication.”

Find help for your headache

If you’re looking for a doctor to help you alleviate headache pain, contact Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine or the Headache Center at Scripps Clinic. Call 1-800-SCRIPPS (1-800-727-4777) to get a physician referral from a member of our call center.

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Coping With San Diego’s Year-Round Allergy Season

2012-03-06T18:15:45-08:00

More than half of the nation’s population test positive for at least one allergy, according to a 2005 study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. And while San Diegans who moved here from other regions are often surprised to find the seasonal allergies they suffered with back home seem to disappear, they might be surprised to learn San Diego has an allergy season, too. It begins January 1 and ends December 31.

“This region is unique. Theoretically, if the wind is blowing off the ocean, we should have very little pollen in the air,” says Ronald Simon, MD, an allergist at Scripps Health in San Diego. “But when we get a Santa Ana wind condition, we get hit with allergens from as far away as Nevada and Arizona. And after rains, the trees and weeds and grasses in our canyons wake up and send out pollen clouds.”

Allergies can make colds worse

Because San Diego doesn’t have four distinct seasons like the East and the Midwest, allergens are in the air constantly. This can exacerbate nasal allergies, triggering chronic drainage and congestion, leaving allergy sufferers vulnerable to sinus infections, bronchitis and colds.

“We catch colds, not because people cough or sneeze around us, but because we touch surfaces that have the virus on them and then touch our nose, eyes and mouths,” says Dr. Simon. “People with allergies touch and rub more than other people, making it more likely they will pick up the virus. In addition, they can’t clear colds and infections as easily as non-allergic people because of underlying chronic allergic inflammation in the nose and lungs.”

Indoor allergies are different here too

Because Southern California never experiences hard freezes and frosts, mold spores never entirely go away here. In fact, local rain patterns and cool temperatures create optimal conditions for them to multiply.

Surprisingly, in many parts of the country house dust mites are seasonal as well, requiring humidity to reproduce. But in San Diego, they can be found in high quantities year-round. Between the humidity of the rainy season and homes that aren’t completely weather-tight, the months between October and March are especially troublesome for people who are sensitive to these microscopic insects.

Keep allergy symptoms under control

During the most active allergen periods, sufferers can generally manage their own symptoms at home. Dr. Simon recommends five tools to help.

Avoidance and barriers
If you know you suffer from allergies to animal dander, for example, you should minimize time spent around pets and get zip-up encasements for your mattress and pillows that trap dust mites inside, away from the nose and lungs. You can keep those kicked-up mites (as well as other particulates) out of the respiratory system by wearing an inexpensive N-95 respirator from the hardware store when you dust or vacuum, or when there are problems with outdoor dust, smoke and other irritants.
Nasal and sinus rinsing
Neti pots and over-the-counter squeeze-bottle nasal rinsing systems may offer some relief by washing fine allergens out of sensitive nasal passages and sinuses. But the stream or mist of water should be gentle, not forceful. For people who have had surgery on their sinuses, there are electric irrigators, but Dr. Simon stresses these are not normally recommended for allergy symptoms alone.
Antihistamines
These drugs relieve itching, sneezing a watering of the eyes and nose. While the safest, most effective allergy medications used to be prescription-only and pricey, Dr. Simon says nearly all allergy medicine now have less expensive generic equivalents or are available over-the-counter. Some are even non-sedating.
Decongestants
For the congestion that can result from constant exposure to allergens, Dr. Simon says it’s important to choose a decongestant, not an antihistamine. OTC medications with a –D after their name contain decongestant as well as the primary medication, and can help reduce swelling in the nose and lungs as needed. However, they can also cause nervousness, fast heartbeats, insomnia and—in some people—increased blood pressure.
Prescription steroid sprays
Dr. Simon says that daily use of these sprays, inhaled via the nose, can eliminate nearly all allergy symptoms. “I tell people to try it for a month,” he says. “In addition to relieving what they perceived as their allergy symptoms, many people come back and say, ‘oh, this is how I’m supposed to feel! I can sleep and taste my food again and my energy is back!’”

Learn more about managing allergies

To find a Scripps allergist who can help you identify your allergic triggers and manage your symptoms, visit the Doctor Finder or call 1-800-SCRIPPS (1-800-727-4777) to get a physician referral from a member of our call center.

Get a regular dose of health news and information from Scripps

How to Get Your Child Back Into a Booster

2012-02-07T09:43:34-08:00

On January 1, 2012, the California law regarding child restraints in vehicles changed, and suddenly, 6- and 7-year-olds who thought they had “graduated” from their car seats were sent right back into them.

The new law states that children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the backseat. Children under the age of 8 who are 4’ 9” or taller may be secured by a safety belt in the backseat.

The law is intended to make children safer. In fact, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) says the risk injury is reduced by 33 percent when children move to the backseat. Despite the facts, parents may have difficulties getting older kids to understand why they’re being forced back into to their car seats and boosters.

Trieva Scanlan, MD, a Scripps pediatrician, thinks the best approach to getting reluctant children to accept the new law is straightforward honesty. “Children who are between 6 and 8 are old enough to understand reason. So parents need to tell them there are two very good reasons to get into the booster seat,” she says. “First, it will keep them safe if something bad should happen while mom or dad is driving, because they could get hurt if there were and accident without the booster seat. And second, it would cost a lot of money if a police officer saw them in the front seat or out of a booster seat and their parents got a ticket.”

Dr. Scanlan doesn’t think bribery is not a good approach to gain compliance. “Be firm, be consistent, be logical and don’t engage in argument,” she advises.

While the new law applies to most cars and children, there are a few exceptions. According to the CHP, children may continue to ride in a front seat if:

A vehicle has no rear seats
The only available rear seats are side-facing jump seats
A child restraint system cannot be installed properly in the rear seat
Children under the age of 12 occupy all rear seats

Find out if your car seat is installed correctly

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association estimates that nationwide, 82 percent of car seats are installed incorrectly. If you have questions about whether your car seat or booster seat is as secure as it should be, visit one of several free car seat inspection sites run by police and highway patrol personnel.

Get a regular dose of health news and information from Scripps

Scripps Purchases New Medical Office Building in Oceanside

2012-01-27T14:56:02-08:00

Scripps Health has purchased a new medical office building for Scripps Coastal Medical Center in Oceanside. The updated, convenient and patient-friendly facility is located adjacent to California State Route 76 at 4318 Mission Ave, and will replace the original Scripps Coastal Medical Center facility on Mission Avenue.

The new 33,500-square-foot medical office building is almost twice the size of the original medical center, provides more parking, easier accessibility and the latest wireless technology.

“Scripps Coastal is proud to open a new state of the art facility in the same community where we have had the pleasure of delivering care and practicing medicine for 50 years,” said Kevin Hirsch, MD, president of Scripps Coastal Medical Group.

Initially, the new building will house the 10 Scripps doctors and 40 staff from the existing medical center, expanding to a total of 20 physicians in the future.

Scripps plan called for a new facility that could meet the needs of existing Scripps Coastal patients and accommodate future growth in the area. When searching for a new building, the priority was to find a location that was central to patients. The new medical office building is within three miles of the majority of current patients’ homes.

“Our patients voiced the need for a new facility – we listened,” said Larry Harrison, chief executive for Scripps Coastal. “The new medical office building is more modern and will offer patients more amenities. Scripps Health is excited about this facility upgrade and looks forward to meeting the growing health care needs of the Oceanside community.”

The transition process from the existing site will take place over the next several months, with plans to fully open in July 2012. Current patients will be notified of the change and invited to attend the grand opening scheduled for later this year.

About Scripps Health
Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system based in San Diego, Calif.

Scripps Health Named to Fortune Magazine’s National "100 Best Companies to Work For" List in 2012

2012-01-19T10:43:25-08:00

Scripps Health has been named to Fortune magazine’s 15th annual list of America’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Scripps ranked No. 56 on this year’s list and is the second San Diego-based company to make the list since the list’s inception in 1998, joining Qualcomm.

“Scripps is honored to be acknowledged for the fifth time by Fortune as one of America’s top employers,” said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps. “This accomplishment reflects the importance we place on our employees and how we strive to create a culture of excellence that makes them feel secure, appreciated and empowered.”

Fortune recognized Scripps for its practice of avoiding layoffs. In the rare occurrence that a position is eliminated at Scripps due to changing business needs, staff members can continue earning their base pay and benefits while the Scripps Career Resource Center (CRC) assists them in searching for a position within Scripps or outside of the organization.

“While other hospitals and health systems across the country have resorted to job cuts and the elimination of services during these challenging times, Scripps has made a commitment to preserving jobs and avoiding layoffs,” said Victor Buzachero, corporate senior vice president of innovation, human resources and performance management for Scripps. “The CRC has helped us retain highly skilled employees and avoid the high costs of severance pay and turnover.”

Scripps designed and implemented the CRC well before the downturn in the economy and has actively kept it in place during the recession. Since its inception, more than 700 employees have participated in the CRC with job placements in or outside of the organization.

Richelle Ward, who has worked for Scripps for 10 years, learned her department was closing in August 2010.

“The CRC helped me look for another position and provided tools and information for my job search,” said Ward. “My department was like a second family and the transition was a difficult time. However, the CRC helped me through it and I benefited from their support, knowledge and individualized assistance. In the end, I had three possible job opportunities to choose from and I love the one that I chose.”

The list will appear in the Feb. 6 issue of Fortune, and the full list is now available online. To pick the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Fortune partners with the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America; 280 firms participated in this year’s survey. More than 246,000 employees at those companies responded to a survey created by the institute, a global research and consulting firm operating in 45 countries around the world.

The Fortune magazine ranking comes on the heels of four other national accolades Scripps Health has received for workplace excellence. In its 2011 listing, AARP ranked Scripps at the top employer in the country for its 50 Best Employers for Workers Over 50. This was the seventh consecutive year Scripps was named to this list. Working Mother magazine named Scripps number 11 on its 2011 list of America’s 100 Best Companies for its family-friendly policies, making it the seventh consecutive year Scripps has made the list. Also in 2011, the E-Learning organization named Scripps fifth in the nation for enterprise learning and Becker’s Hospital Review named Scripps among the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare.

About Scripps Health

Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system based in San Diego, Calif.

Flu Vaccine Myths That Could Make You Sick

2011-11-08T13:55:06-08:00

As many as one in five Americans get the flu each year, and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from seasonal flu-related complications. The best way to protect yourself and others is to get vaccinated. Despite these indisputable facts, one in three adults plan to skip the flu shot this year, according to a telephone poll conducted by Opinion Research/Select Medical.

“Some don’t believe the flu is a real threat to them. Others don’t trust the vaccine to do its job,” says Dan Dworsky, MD, medical director for Scripps Clinic and Scripps Coastal Medical Center in San Diego, California. “It’s unfortunate that there is still a lot of misinformation about the flu and vaccines designed to protect the public from it.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone ages six months or older get vaccinated. Every season, Dr. Dworsky leads a campaign to vaccinate and educate patients and staff. That effort includes dispelling flu vaccine myths like these:

Myth #1. The flu vaccine can give you the flu.

The injectable influenza vaccine is composed of inactivated virus particles, so it can’t transmit infection, according to Dr. Dworsky. “It’s still possible for someone to get the flu in the days following vaccination,” he says. “It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza.”

The side effects of the vaccine could also be to blame for this myth. All vaccines stimulate the immune system and can occasionally cause mild muscle aches and a low-grade fever. “These symptoms are very rare, mild in nature and are nothing compared to influenza illness,” Dr. Dworsky emphasizes.

Myth #2. The flu vaccine is dangerous.

“The flu vaccine is extremely safe for most people,” asserts Dr. Dworsky. “That being said, there are certain populations that are at special risk.” If you have a severe, (life-threatening) allergy to eggs or have had Guillain-Barré syndrome, the CDC recommends you skip the seasonal shot. People who are moderately or severely ill should usually wait until they recover before getting the flu vaccine.

Myth #3. If you are young and healthy, you don’t need to get vaccinated.

Even if you are not at risk for severe complications from the flu, you can still pay a hefty price if you get it. Having the flu can result in a significant loss of work time. “Some people need up to 10 days off in order to recover,” says Dr. Dworsky.

Vaccines also create herd immunity. Because influenza is transmitted from person to person, when a critical mass of community members is immunized against it, most members of the community are protected because there are fewer sick people passing the illness to others. “Think of it like tic-tac-toe,” explains Dr. Dworsky. “The more Xs on the grid, the less likely you are able to get three 0s in a row.”

Myth #4. The vaccine isn’t effective.

The flu shot isn’t 100 percent effective at guarding against the flu. In fact, a study published in The Lancet examined the efficacy of the most popular flu shot in the United States—the trivalent inactivated vaccine. The results indicated it was effective about 59 percent of the time.

“That’s less effective than previously thought. But the findings shouldn’t discourage people from getting the vaccine or derail the ongoing efforts to immunize people against influenza,” says Dr. Dworsky. “The flu vaccine needs improvement, but it remains the best defense we have against a potentially lethal disease.”

Where can you get a flu shot?

If you are a patient at Scripps Clinic or Scripps Coastal Medical Center, call your doctor to find out about upcoming flu clinics at primary care locations throughout San Diego. Open on Saturdays, the clinics provide an opportunity to get vaccinated quickly and without an appointment.
Go to www.flu.gov. Type in your zip code and you’ll find a list of local pharmacies, grocery stores and clinics that offer flu vaccinations.

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San Diego’s First Cyclotron Installed Oct. 28 at Scripps Proton Therapy Center

2011-10-28T09:04:18-07:00

San Diego—Cancer care in San Diego County took a major step forward today with the start of installation of the region’s first cyclotron — a remarkable piece of medical equipment that will be the driving force behind the Scripps Proton Therapy Center, and one of only a small handful of such proton therapy medical devices and delivery systems in the United States.

Manufactured by Varian Medical Systems of Palo Alto, Calif., the 90-ton cyclotron is about the same weight as a fully loaded 737 jetliner, but just 6 feet high and 9 feet wide. The cyclotron’s job is to accelerate protons to extremely fast speeds — roughly 100,000 miles per second or 0.61 times the speed of light — to create a beam that can precisely reach tumors, even if deeply seated and located near critical organs. These beams can also be shaped in three dimensions to avoid surrounding healthy tissues, targeting tumors with unprecedented accuracy.

Made predominantly of extremely pure iron to optimize magnetic power, the cyclotron uses water and electricity to create a plasma stream, from which protons are extracted. Protons are then accelerated by the magnetic energy between the upper and lower halves of the cyclotron — the force of which is equivalent to 200 tons. The protons are then sent through a beam transport system using a series of electromagnets to steer the beams for delivery to patient treatment rooms.

Construction on the 102,000-square-foot center began in October 2010, and is expected to be open for patient care by spring 2013. The Scripps Proton Therapy Center will have the capacity to treat approximately 2,400 patients annually. It is being built on a 7-acre site in the Carroll Canyon area of Mira Mesa, at 9730 Summers Ridge Road.

There are currently nine proton therapy patient treatment centers operating in the U.S., and just one west of the Rockies. They are located in Loma Linda, Calif. (opened 1991); Boston, Mass. (opened 2002); Bloomington, Ind. (opened 2004); Houston, Texas (opened 2006); Jacksonville, Fla. (opened 2006); Oklahoma City, Okla. (opened 2009); Philadelphia, Penn. (opened 2010); Hampton, Va. (opened 2010); and Warrenville, Ill. (opened 2010).

The cyclotron has taken an extraordinary journey from inception to installation in San Diego. It was manufactured and tested in Troisdorf, Germany over a 20-month period by a team of about three dozen engineers, physicists, electricians, welders and others with specialized expertise. It was then shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal and into Port Hueneme, just north of Los Angeles. From there it was transported via two specialized 200-foot-long, 19-axel trailers, to evenly distribute the exceptionally heavy load.

After arriving at the Scripps Proton Therapy Center, the cyclotron will be lifted in two separate sections, using a specially designed crane that is usually deployed to move heavy industrial equipment weighing up to 1,000 tons. During the course of two straight workdays, the cyclotron will be painstakingly aligned into place, due largely to the sub-millimeter accuracy required of its placement.

Following the cyclotron’s installation, the beam transport system and other equipment will be installed in patient treatment rooms. Meanwhile, the cyclotron will undergo testing to meet various acceptance criteria under the guidance of a team of engineers, physicists, software engineers and other experts.

Scripps Proton Therapy Center will include five treatment rooms, three of which will include gantries, which are three-story, 360-degree rotational machines designed to deliver the therapeutic beam at the precise angle prescribed by the physician. Each gantry weighs 280 tons. The other two treatment rooms will have fixed-beam machines. The center will also offer MRI, CT and PET/CT imaging services in support of proton therapy; 16 patient exam rooms; and offices for 14 physicians.

The facility is being developed by Advanced Particle Therapy (APT), LLC of San Diego and will be operated by Scripps Health and Scripps Clinic Medical Group. Scripps Health will provide clinical management services to the center and Scripps Clinic Medical Group will oversee the medical services. APT has arranged the financing to build the center and purchase the proton therapy equipment from Varian Medical Systems. Additionally, APT will manage and maintain the building and equipment. The architect and general contractor for the center is The Haskell Company of Jacksonville, Fla., one of the nation’s leading design-builders of health care facilities.

For certain cancers, proton therapy offers a more precise and aggressive approach to destroying cancerous and non-cancerous tumors, compared to conventional X-ray radiation. Proton therapy involves the use of a controlled beam of protons to target tumors with control and precision unavailable in other radiation therapies. The precise delivery of proton energy limits damage to healthy surrounding tissue and allows for a more potent and effective dose of radiation to be used.

Patients will be able to access this treatment through a referral to a specialist credentialed by the Scripps Proton Therapy Center. Proton therapy has an established history of reimbursement by Medicare and private health care payers.

A non-invasive treatment, proton beam therapy is usually performed on an outpatient basis and is considered most effective on solid, deep-seated tumors that are localized and have not spread to distant areas of the body.

Varian will equip the facility with a fully integrated ProBeam proton therapy system. The center’s superconducting cyclotron will feature pencil-beam (or spot) scanning, which allows for modulation of the proton beam’s intensity. This allows doctors to precisely shape the dose distribution to concentrate on the targeted tumor while minimizing exposure of normal healthy tissue.

Nearly 80,000 people worldwide have received proton therapy at centers in Europe, Asia and the United States. Patients typically receive approximately 30 treatments during a four- to six-week period. Each treatment lasts for approximately 15-25 minutes, after which the patient is free to carry on with daily affairs.

In addition to providing patient care, Scripps expects to be at the forefront of new and developing clinical applications as part of its proton practice and connection with other national centers.

Radiation generated by the proton therapy system will be contained by installing the equipment in a bunker with concrete up to 15 feet thick. Two completely independent monitoring systems are also being installed to ensure safe operation. A personnel protection system (PPS) will monitor the safety of individuals inside the facility. Additional radiation monitors are being installed outside the facility to prevent environmental exposure.

About Scripps Cancer Center

With more than 300 affiliated physicians, Scripps Cancer Center is a nationally recognized leader in cancer care, providing comprehensive care at its four hospitals and various Scripps Clinic locations. Scripps Cancer Center seeks to provide the best possible treatment and cutting-edge research trials for patients by coordinating medical expertise in the areas of clinical cancer care, community outreach and clinical, translational and basic research. Scripps is the only cancer care provider in San Diego to earn network accreditation from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer.

About Scripps Health

Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system based in San Diego, Calif.