Dr. James Wurzer knows all about Philadelphia. He was born and raised there, went to college there (University of Pennsylvania), medical school there (Temple University) and did his residency in radiation oncology there (Fox Chase Cancer Center).
He also knows this: Getting to Philly from Atlantic City — although just a 60-mile drive — is out of reach for many of the patients he sees as the medical director at the AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute.
It’s why Wurzer, a self-proclaimed Philly guy, has made it his mission over the past two decades to bring top-notch cancer care to the residents of the many underserved communities found in the greater Atlantic County area.
“Living down here in Southeastern New Jersey is a haul,” he said. “Going to New York, going to Philly, even going to Camden is tough. When patients are ill, when family members have to come care for them, travel can be a real hardship, especially in the underserved populations.
“It’s a big reason I came here 25 years ago. I wanted to bring academic-quality medicine to the community.”
The AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute, with locations in Egg Harbor Township and Cape May Court House, is doing just that.
Wurzer rattles off how the institute has leaders in all three types of cancer treatment: surgical oncology, medical oncology and radiation oncology.
“Over the past decade, we have filled in many gaps that we had, which has enabled us to take treatment to the next level,” he said.
That next-level care is multispecialty care. And that’s not just ensuring a person’s cancer is being treated by every necessary member of the medical team.
Wurzer explains.
“We’re treating a person, not a disease,” he said. “A person who comes in may have a whole host of issues. Yes, they have cancer, but they’re likely dealing with other problems.
“What is their life like in terms of social services? What is their nutritional status? Do they have transportation? What are their psychosocial needs? There are so many other aspects that come into play.
“Identifying patients who have greater needs is important, because you may give them the best cancer care, but if they’re not able to get there — or they’re not able to get good-quality food, are you really helping them? No.”
Wurzer said the AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute practices a personalization of care that goes beyond multispecialty treatment — and lasts past any time when a patient’s cancer may be in remission.
The follow-up care, Wurzer said, is just as important as the treatment.
“In the old days, when you were following up with someone you’ve treated for cancer, it might have been, ‘OK, let’s look at your blood work,’ or, ‘Let’s look at your imaging studies.’
“That’s called surveillance, and we still do that, of course. But there’s another aspect, which we call survivorship.”
Here’s how it goes.
“When patients have completed their care, I tell them, ‘You owe me now,’” Wurzer said. “I tell them: ‘You have to take care of yourself. I’ll be your partner in that, but you have to make sure that you’re getting exercise, that you’re eating well, that you’re getting all your other health care needs taken care of.’”
Wurzer said his team will then take the person through whatever tests and screenings are necessary — from cardiology to gastroenterology — to make sure the person has been set up to be as healthy as they possibly can going forward.
Call it big-city care with small-town concern.
Or call it the type of treatment Wurzer and his team have been determined to provide for years.
For information about AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute, go to atlanticare.org/services/cancer-care.
