Decatur County Hospital Opens John Dowell Infusion Center to Serve Needs of Patients in the Region

On Thursday, January 25, 2024, approximately 40 community members, staff, providers, and DCH board trustees joined together to celebrate the grand opening of the John Dowell Infusion Center at Decatur County Hospital.

The completion of this new space doubles our previous capacity and allows us to serve up to ten (10) patients simultaneously. Details such as brand new chairs that include heat and massage, individual lighting controls, spacious storage for personal belongings, internet access, and private televisions ensure comfort for patients while going through infusion treatments. In addition, the open concept nurse’s station allows our specially trained infusion nurses and pharmacy team to maintain continuous observation of patients to ensure their safety and comfort.

Decatur County Hospital partners with Mission Cancer + Blood to serve patients in our community suffering from cancer or blood disorders. Our cancer care physician, Dr. Zeeshan Jawa, MD, is a board-certified Hematologist/Oncologist and visits the DCH Outpatient Clinic four (4) days each month to provide expert personalized care for those living with a cancer diagnosis. Dr. Jawa partners with our on-site chemotherapy and infusion teams to provide high-quality cancer care while saving you the stress of traveling far from home for treatment.

Even though a lot of people think that infusion treatments mainly involve chemotherapy, our infusion center is available to help treat a wide range of conditions. Infusion therapy is a way of delivering medication that can’t be taken orally, due to the medication losing its effectiveness when digested, or that needs to be dispensed at a controlled pace. Infusion therapy can be used to deliver nutrition, as well as many types of medications, including chemotherapy, antibiotics, antivirals, new treatments for neurological conditions, and immunotherapy medications to name a few.

Our infusion team includes your healthcare provider, registered nurses, a pharmacist, a pharmacy tech, and laboratory staff. Our team has advanced education to provide the most qualified and experienced care to you and your family. When you receive infusion therapy at Decatur County Hospital, our specially trained registered nurses will administer your treatment in a relaxed and comfortable setting, giving you the expert help you need with the care you deserve.

We are proud to be your local provider for specialized health care, and plan to continue evolving to meet the health care needs of our community. We are very appreciative of the ongoing support we receive from our neighbors in our mission to deliver exceptional care, close to home.

From l-r: Shannon Erb, DCH CHRMO; Cheryl Zach, DCH Trustee; Julie Parmer, DCH OPC Director; Larry Griffin, DCH Trustee; Brandi Oesch, DCH DON; Mike Johnston, DCH CEO; Katie Keeney, DCH Infusion RN; Denise Elefson, DCH Trustee Chair; Dr. Zeeshan Jawa, Mission Cancer + Blood Hematologist/Oncologist; Katie Kyle, Mission Cancer + Blood; Pam Barth, John Dowell Family Representative; Raven Perkins, DCH Infusion RN; Shasta Copper, DCH Infusion RN; Elise Wells, DCH Infusion RN; Christine Drake, Mission Cancer + Blood; Delaney Mahan, DCH Infusion RN; Hallie Banks, DCH Infusion RN; and Jaime Wolfe, DCH Pharmacist.

Photo courtesy of Corey Lindsey, Leon Journal-Reporter