Since 1998, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has provided cancer services to the Northshore community. Our modern, comprehensive cancer facility provides the full spectrum of cancer care, from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. The Center’s services include medical oncology (chemo/immunotherapy), radiation therapy, imaging, clinical research trials, patient navigation, free community screenings, education and more. These services are readily available to Northshore residents where it matters most – close to family and just minutes from home.
Nationally accredited with commendation and recognized for excellence in cancer care by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington offers patients and families access to advanced technology and clinical expertise, along with compassion and individualized care. The Center’s experienced radiation oncologists, along with its team of medical physicists, utilize diagnostic and treatment technologies to their fullest extent to ensure the best outcome. For example the powerful Elekta Infinity linear accelerator allows for faster, more accurate treatments to target cancer and spare healthy tissue and organs. In addition, a full-service infusion suite provides safe, chemotherapy, immunotherapy treatments and other services. It is staffed by Northshore Oncology Associates’ medical oncologists and many caring chemo-certified nurses who are here to make treatments as comfortable as possible.
The Cancer Center occupies more than 20,000-square-feet and is adjacent to the St. Tammany hospital.
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington has been awarded a three-year term of reaccreditation in nuclear medicine as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR), Committee on Nuclear Medicine Accreditation. Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material, administered or by the patient, to diagnose or treat a variety of disease, including many types of cancers, heart disease and certain other abnormalities within the body.
The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report that can be used for continuous practice improvement.
The ACR, founded in 1924, is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions of radiological care. The College serves more than 37,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.
The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) has granted Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 38 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington is a designated Screening Center of Excellence by the Lung Cancer Alliance. This acknowledges organizations adhering to LCA’s quality standards, the National Framework of Excellence, which includes: utilizing quality screening methods, employing recommended criteria for selecting high-risk individuals for screening and educating about risks and benefits, and providing evaluation and follow-up with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
The Commission on Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) has granted full reaccreditation to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Medical Physics Residency Program. Mary Bird Perkins is the first center in Louisiana to establish such a program, helping provide highly specialized professionals to the workforce and enhanced care for cancer patients. Mary Bird Perkins has been accredited by CAMPEP since 2014.
Louisiana and Gulf South residents have more options to seek advanced cancer treatment, thanks to a $13.6 million National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) award. Presented to LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the NCORP grant focuses on conducting multi-site cancer clinical trials and cancer care delivery research studies in many Louisiana communities. Mary Bird Perkins, along with other partners, will work in partnership with LSU Health New Orleans, referred to collectively as the Gulf South Minority/Underserved NCI Community Oncology Research Program.