New oncology clinic opens in Branson

St. John’s Clinic recently expanded its oncology and hematology services in Branson. St. John’s Clinic – Cancer & Hematology – Branson opened in August at 1065 Highway 248.
St. John’s oncologist J. Wendall Goodwin, M.D., has been commuting to Branson one day a week since 1987 to bring oncology care closer to St. John’s patients there. Goodwin practices at St. John’s Clinic – Cancer & Hematology on the St. John’s campus in Springfield four days a week, spending Tuesdays in Branson.

As the Branson-area population has grown, so has the need for more specialized services there. Goodwin’s colleague, Thomas Froehlich, M.D., also of St. John’s Clinic – Cancer & Hematology, recently began offering cancer care in Branson on Thursdays, spending the other four days in Springfield.

“When Dr. Goodwin would see patients in Branson on Tuesdays, because of the disease or the patient’s state of health, they often needed to have follow-up, whether it be chemotherapy or physician, sooner than when he would be down there again,” says office manager Deanna Robinson. “With two doctors being down there two days a week, we have a greater continuity of care.”

The expansion of services includes the August opening of a new
St. John’s clinic to house both physicians, St. John’s Clinic – Cancer & Hematology – Branson. The new clinic has a chemotherapy suite with eight chairs and a one-bed treatment room.

“The suite Dr. Goodwin was using wasn’t adequate for expansion so we elected to have an office that St. John’s already owned on Highway 248 remodeled,” Froehlich says. “With the new space, our ability to provide chemotherapy in Branson has doubled.”

St. John’s goal with the cancer and hematology clinic is to provide as much local care for Branson area cancer patients as possible, Goodwin says. However, St. John’s oncology patients who receive radiation therapy or other hospital-based therapies will still need to make the commute to Springfield.

Though nearly 40 miles away, the Branson clinic is a satellite office of the Springfield cancer and hematology clinic.

“The quality of care is no different,” Froehlich says.