Vidant Cancer Care Center in Greenville Opens Its Doors

By Rachel Leber

GREENVILLE, N.C. — As healthcare improves, so must the architecture, environment and infrastructure that supports it. The new Vidant Cancer Care Center at the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Tower in Greenville is just one example of the important strides taking place in the field of healthcare. The new cancer center officially opened its doors this month.

The East Group based out of Greenville, N.C., and HDR based out of their Charlotte office were the two architecture firms chosen for the project. The two construction firms on the project are T.A. Loving, based out of Goldsboro, N.C., and Rodgers Builders Inc. based out of Charlotte. The budget for the project was $174 million, with $50 million of that to be funded through philanthropy for construction, equipment, and programmatic support.

The six-story 418,000-square-foot facility features 96 inpatient rooms, 60 infusion areas with a view of outdoor healing gardens and 58 different clinics centered on patient care. Additionally, the new cancer center includes a comprehensive imaging clinic with 3D mammography, and a radiation oncology unit that includes some of the most advanced technology available in the state.

The new cancer care center will provide conference room technology that will connect care teams at each facility — meaning providers throughout the region will be able to collaborate in real-time with teams of experts. In addition, the center will feature real-time location (RTLS) functions such as GPS for people and equipment within the center, which will help with patient flow, and the location of equipment and management of the healthcare team.

“Because we believe in a life without cancer, we’ve equipped this new building with everything we need to work toward our mission,” said Dr. Emmanuel Zervos, executive director of Vidant Cancer Care, in a recent statement. “The Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Tower supports our ongoing efforts to provide cancer education, early detection, timely intervention and patient coordination to enable the early diagnosis of cancer so that it is more effectively treated.”

In addition to advanced technology, the new facility features abundant natural light in the lobby and throughout, with three outdoor healing gardens that offer calm and quiet spaces for patients, visitors, and staff. The interior of the cancer care center features a theme of flowering trees, calming color palettes and artwork of soothing nature scenes.