ELIZABETHTOWN — Cancer patients in eastern Essex County who have had to travel up to an hour for their regular chemotherapy treatments now have a much more convenient option.

Elizabethtown Community Hospital (ECH) is opening a new chemotherapy center where patients can receive a wide range of hematology and oncology services.

The facility also includes state-of-the-art communications that allow patients to meet live via high-digital monitors with Plattsburgh oncologist Dr. Jan Duus.

“This service will offer so much for patients, who will no longer have to travel for their treatments, said Cecile Lawlor, a nurse practitioner and certified oncology nurse recently hired by the hospital to oversee activities in the chemo center. “It will be an incredible relief to them and to their families.”

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Public surveys in the local community conducted by E’town Community Hospital have consistently shown a strong need for chemotherapy and other hematology services such as blood transfusions.

“It’s important to us that our hospital is responsive to those needs of our friends and neighbors in Essex County,” said Bonnie Rata, chief nursing officer for the hospital.

She was instrumental in bringing tele-medicine to Elizabethtown.

“We feel that patients should receive care as close to home as possible.”

Other oncology services have been available to those patients for some time now.

“Dr. Duus has been providing an oncology clinic at Elizabethtown twice a month,” said Jane Hooper, public-relations director for the hospital. “It’s nice that he has been able to see patients in Elizabethtown, but until now an option for receiving chemotherapy locally did not exist.”

The chemo room has two chairs, with a third available in an adjacent room if needed. The hospital has purchased updated infusion equipment to provide the safest and most efficient method for chemotherapy and blood-related infusions.

Lawlor has already seen several patients for infusion treatments, and the first chemo patient is scheduled for later this week.

“It’s an exciting time for us,” said Lawlor, who obtained her M.S. in nursing with a specialty as adult nurse practitioner from Texas Health Sciences Center. “I feel privileged to get this important program up and running and to help patients with their treatments.”