The Inpatient Unit in a Cancer Center

Despite emergence of effective novel cancer therapies that can be administered outside the hospital setting for various solid tumor and hematologic malignancies, a significant number of patients still require treatment in the inpatient setting, owing to the nature of the treatment, duration, and frequency, or to the level of supportive care required to administer such treatments, among others. Apart from specialized trained physicians and nurses, the number of inpatient team services has expanded significantly to meet the complex needs of patients and their families. We acknowledge that there is no universal model for how an inpatient unit should be built and developed; it depends on financial resources, population density, and societal factors, among others. Here, we describe the main components of an inpatient unit in a cancer center. The ultimate goal must be to provide a safe environment for cancer patients and to facilitate delivery of care in an efficient manner.