$59 Million Prebys Cancer Center Breaks Ground Aug. 9

Note to Patients: The following news is posted for archival purposes only. Scripps no longer has a formal partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center. We currently provide comprehensive cancer care through Scripps Cancer Center.

Patients at Prebys Cancer Center will have access to leading-edge radiation therapy technology, including two TrueBeam linear accelerators, which deliver external beam radiation treatments with exceptional accuracy and speed.

Additionally, the facility will house a 20-chair infusion center, where chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and other treatments will be delivered. The new center also will include spaces for treatment planning conferences, patient exams and consultations, physician offices and patient support services. A new 140-space parking garage, expected to open in 2022, will adjoin the facility.

Prebys Cancer Center will be the second of two regional cancer hubs offered as part of the Scripps MD Anderson partnership in San Diego County. The other hub – located on the Torrey Pines Mesa – has been open as a radiation oncology center since 2012. Build out of this cancer hub with additional patient service space is expected to be completed in 2020.

In addition to the two regional cancer care hubs, Scripps MD Anderson offers patient care at Scripps Green Hospital, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego and Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, as well as its clinics and other outpatient locations.

Mr. Prebys has a history of making significant philanthropic gifts to Scripps Health. In 2011, he donated $45 million toward the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute on the campus of Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. He also made a $10 million donation in 2006 to support construction of the Conrad Prebys Emergency and Trauma Center at Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego.

“Through his many years of generous support, Conrad Prebys has significantly improved the quality of health care for our community,” said Scripps President and CEO Chris Van Gorder. “Prebys Cancer Center will continue Conrad’s legacy by providing access to exceptional cancer care to residents in our central and southern regions of San Diego County.”

Prebys Cancer Center will feature design elements to help comfort and support patients, families and friends. These include floor-to-ceiling windows, nature-inspired artwork, and a “tree of hope” in the main lobby to symbolize strength and healing.

Plans also call for the facility’s second-floor infusion center to be surrounded by three rooftop terraces, which can be enjoyed from indoors through windows, or from various seating areas outdoors.

The general contractor for the new facility is Kitchell, and the architect is Mascari Warner Dinh Architects.

Prebys Cancer Center will be funded through a combination of philanthropy, borrowing and operating income. Several opportunities for philanthropic support are still available and more information can be found by visiting www.scripps.org/giving, or by calling 619-686-3509.

“Prebys Cancer Center will complement our multidisciplinary team approach to cancer care, by bringing physicians, caregivers and services around the patient in a single location,” said Thomas Buchholz, MD, medical director of Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center and a Scripps Clinic radiation oncologist. “Offering a comprehensive scope of services in a single setting provides convenience for patients and their families, while also fostering strong collaboration and communication among the entire care team.” Dr. Buchholz also is the first recipient of a new endowed position, the Conrad Prebys Executive Medical Directorship, Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, made possible through an endowment provided by Conrad Prebys.

Scripps MD Anderson organizes its physicians in multidisciplinary care teams that are subspecialized by cancer type. Each multidisciplinary care team comprises a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, surgeon, pathologist, radiologist and others. Together, they review each patient’s case and decide on the best possible treatment to recommend. Scripps MD Anderson physicians have adopted the world-renowned treatment protocols and standards of care developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center, a global leader in cancer care.

Scripps Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center teamed up to create Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, a clinically integrated cancer care program in San Diego that began delivering patient care in 2018. The partnership brings together the expertise of doctors at Scripps and MD Anderson to offer patient-centered care, using some of the most advanced cancer treatments available today.

Through this partnership, Scripps MD Anderson is part of MD Anderson Cancer Network®, a global collaborative network of hospitals and health care systems dedicated to MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer. The collaboration allows Scripps to combine its expertise with MD Anderson’s knowledge and capabilities to further elevate the level of care for patients in San Diego.

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