2025-2026 MCW Radiation Oncology Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 27
2025-2026 Medical College of Wisconsin, Radia琀椀on Oncology Annual Report
Gynecologic Oncology team of Dr. Janet Rader, Dr. Denise Uyar, Dr. William Bradley, Dr. Elizabeth Hopp,
Dr. Sophia Gabrilovich and Dr. Emily Hill work collabora琀椀vely with Dr. Beth Erickson and Dr. Chris琀椀na SmallTom to a琀琀ract a mul琀椀tude of pa琀椀ents to FMLH/MCW and collaborate in some of the brachytherapy procedures
as well as offer expert inpa琀椀ent care for select brachytherapy pa琀椀ents requiring laparoscopy or other invasive
procedures. Collabora琀椀on with radia琀椀on oncologists prac琀椀cing outside of FMLH/MCW is also pivotal in bringing
pa琀椀ents with complex brachytherapy needs to the department. Pa琀椀ents with newly diagnosed or recurrent
cervical, vaginal, and endometrial cancers receive both external beam and brachytherapy. Pa琀椀ents who cannot
have surgery are also frequently referred because of their complex comorbidi琀椀es. Pa琀椀ents from all parts of
Wisconsin and adjacent states come to FMLH/MCW Radia琀椀on Oncology for the wide array of
brachytherapy services available and the complexity of care that is o昀琀en involved.
In addi琀椀on to the physicists and physicians who are
pivotal members of the brachytherapy team, brachytherapy nurses are also founda琀椀onal to the program. A
comprehensive brachytherapy service requires equipping and running an opera琀椀ng room in the Radia琀椀on
Oncology department. Much of this exper琀椀se at MCW is provided by the brachytherapy nurses led by Hilary
Hau, RN and Katherine Hiltunen-Morgan, RN, who help to coordinate the scheduling of physicians, physicists
and Anesthesiology team members as well as maintain and expand the necessary applicators and other
equipment, while also assis琀椀ng in the brachytherapy procedures. They are the glue that keeps the many aspects
of the program cohesive and effec琀椀ve, and they are also the pivotal interface with the many pa琀椀ents who need
brachytherapy services. In addi琀椀on, the FMLH/MCW Radia琀椀on Oncology front desk staff is pivotal in helping to
schedule and interface with pa琀椀ents the necessary maze of appointments.
The MCW Anesthesiology department is also crucial in screening pa琀椀ents
before procedures for medical management issues and providing expert
seda琀椀on and regional block op琀椀ons for pa琀椀ents to keep them comfortable
throughout the brachytherapy experience.
What is the goal of offering these complex and innova琀椀ve programs to our
pa琀椀ents? The goal is to secure cure with preserva琀椀on of vital
body func琀椀ons, delivered in a compassionate and comprehensive way,
drawing together a team which has this goal in clear sight. Seeing is
believing.
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