[Noozhawk’s note: Second in a series sponsored by Sutter Health.]

Since joining forces with Sutter Health, Ridley-Tree Cancer Center has deepened its capacity to continue as the leading Central Coast provider of world-class cancer care, on par with major academic centers and large urban hospitals, while staying rooted in serving local patients for more than 75 years.

“Sutter has brought an infusion of energy, resources, and interest to Ridley-Tree,” confirms Dr. Maira Campos, director of medical oncology. “We already had an established center grounded in our community, but Sutter’s strength allows us to operate at an even higher level by reaching more people, expanding programs, and reshaping our services.” As a not-for-profit organization, Sutter Health has mission-focused priorities which align seamlessly with Ridley-Tree’s model of high-tech, high-touch care, she adds. 

Cancer care at Ridley-Tree has always been built on a simple but powerful idea: nearly everything a patient needs should exist under one roof. Across three floors, nearly every element of treatment and supportive care is offered side by side inside the 54,000 square feet center built in 2017. 

From infusion and radiation therapy to clinical research, patient navigation and social work, patients can avoid shuttling between offices or across town.  Many of Ridley-Tree’s wellness programs like yoga, meditation, painting and knitting provide connection for patients right where their care takes place. An on-site lab means patients can see their doctor and have necessary tests done in one visit. A Healing Garden and rooftop patio offer a quiet respite.  

That proximity fosters more than convenience. It strengthens care. “We have integrative care, connected services and surgical teams positioned across the hall from each other and that makes a difference,” said Dr. Campos. “When doctors talk, care is better.”

And there are now many more doctors. “In our first full year with Sutter, we recruited around 40 new clinicians between Sansum Clinic and Ridley-Tree Cancer Center,” said Matt Baumann, Sutter Health Greater Central Coast Interim Ambulatory CEO. “In a normal year we might gain 10 to 12, so 40 is incredible and it allows us to expand into new medical specialties.” 

New specialists in fields like urogynecology and reconstructive surgery have helped bridge gaps where services previously had to be referred outside of Ridley-Tree, while programs like the new High-Risk Breast Clinic monitor women at elevated risk for breast cancer through comprehensive assessments, individualized risk profiles, and personalized prevention plans.

Central Coast clinicians are now collaborating with highly trained specialists across Sutter’s network. “We are now part of a larger family of radiation oncologists,” added Dr. W. Warren Suh, medical director of Ridley-Tree’s Radiation Oncology Department and a Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara board member.

“It’s a collegial environment where we share information and best practices to improve patient care.” Dr. Suh’s team trained in this kind of environment. His physician roster includes former faculty members from Harvard and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 

Dr. H. Katherine Kim recently joined the department as the team’s fifth radiation oncologist from the academic faculty of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, and the University of Washington. 

In addition to expanding the number of clinicians, Sutter extended its reach north of Santa Barbara County by acquiring radiation oncology centers in Templeton and San Luis Obispo to keep high-quality cancer services close to home. Ridley-Tree also occupies a unique and valuable position in the regional healthcare landscape, by serving anyone in need, regardless of where their primary oncologist is based.

Under Sutter’s umbrella, staff development, patient satisfaction, and compassionate care have all advanced, Dr. Campos noted, along with access to services. “In a community that is nearly half Hispanic, we’ve broadened culturally sensitive care and added bilingual volunteers. We’ve extended clinic hours for all patients so they can get the care they need when they need it.

You can get chemotherapy in a variety of locations,” says Dr. Campos “but the way it’s done at Ridley-Tree is how it should be.” Each patient’s treatment plan is developed by a multispecialty team and tailored to individual needs.

Patient navigators coordinate care and appointments and provide consistent support throughout treatment. Experienced nurses guide patients’ infusion, and patients can elect free of charge to use a Paxman scalp cooling cap to reduce hair loss.  

Much of the advanced technology and compassionate programming that define Ridley-Tree are sustained through philanthropy.

The Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara funds clinical research, patient wellness and supportive care programs, and high-cost medical equipment like linear accelerators and nuclear medicine systems.

“These specialties are costly and highly dependent on state-of-the-art technology,” Dr. Suh said. “We simply couldn’t maintain this level of care without the Foundation’s support and the generosity of our community.”

That support is perhaps most visible in the center’s twin linear accelerators—multi-million-dollar machines that deliver targeted radiation therapy. Most communities the size of Santa Barbara have just one; Ridley-Tree has two.

“The huge advantage,” Dr. Suh explained, “is that if one machine goes down—which can happen with any complex equipment, patients don’t have to miss a day of treatment.” For those receiving radiation five days a week, that continuity can make an enormous difference in both outcome and peace of mind.

“Being part of a larger system allows us to keep pace with rapid advances in medical technology, which often needs upgrading every seven to twelve years,” added Baumann. He highlighted Sutter’s new care alliance with GE Healthcare, which will bring advanced AI-powered imaging technology and digital solutions to patients and will automate maintenance and replacement. 

“It creates a full support structure around the technology,” he explained. “We’re aligning all of our technical experts across one platform and building a replacement plan that ultimately powers better patient care.”

The Sutter relationship has also opened additional access to an unprecedented level of research. Sutter is a destination site for many Phase 1-4 clinical trials of novel cancer treatments. Ridley-Tree already operates a strong clinical research department, but the new affiliation enables patients to enroll locally in even more studies.

 “Our patients may now join more than 45 different trials here,” said Dr. Campos. “This allows our smaller community center to stay plugged into a larger network and become a true hub for advanced cancer research.”

At its core, Ridley-Tree remains defined by what Dr. Suh calls “the art and science of medicine,” the science providing the technology to treat disease; the art reminding caregivers to see the person behind the diagnosis. “We treat the whole individual,” he said, “blending advanced medicine with the support systems that help patients and their families move more easily through it.”

In an era when high-tech care often feels impersonal, Ridley-Tree and Sutter are proving that innovation and humanity can coexist and redefine what community-based cancer care can be.

Read the story on one of Ridley-Tree’s most recent patients here.

To learn more about Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, click here.