Mission StatementTumor- und BrustZentrumOstschweiz
Preliminary Remarks and Vision 2022
The Tumor- und BrustZentrum is a group practice with several locations and unites employees from various professional groups and medical disciplines under its umbrella. The center's purpose is the diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of people with tumor diseases and diseases of the breast.
The center is characterized by a patient-centered approach, proven expertise and high treatment quality. It strives to establish itself as a practice network with several practice locations and consultation services as the first outpatient contact point in Eastern Switzerland for hematological, oncological and senological issues and to offer people with tumor, blood or breast diseases care close to their place of residence.
The Tumor- und BrustZentrum Ostschweiz already part of the certified Stephanshorn Breast Center in St. Gallen. In addition, further disease-related specializations are being sought in the areas of urogenital, gynecological, and gastrointestinal tumors, as well as significant involvement in future certifications of corresponding organ centers in collaboration with specialist colleagues and the Hirslanden Clinic Stephanshorn.
Our organizational structure
We are an independent company, organized as a corporation. The shareholders are 12 physicians working at 4 different locations, all with equal shares.
The management consists of 5 people. The board of directors consists of 3 external people and 2 partners.
Dr. Angelika Bickel, MD
Dr. Matthias Egger, MD
Dr. Verena Elisabeth Egidy-Pioch, MD
Dr. Karin Giesinger, MD
Dr. Stefan Greuter, MD
Dr. Rahel Hiltebrand, MD
PD Dr. Friedemann Honecker, MD
Prof. Michael Knauer, MD
PD Dr. Markus Niemeyer, MD
Dr. Tamara Parissenti, MD
Prof. Thomas Ruhstaller, MD
Dr. Isabella Schönenberger, MD
Dr. Patrik Weder, MD
Prof. Katja Zirlik, MD
Dr. Rahel Hiltebrand, MD
PD Dr. Friedemann Honecker, MD
Dr. Stefan Greuter, MD
Dr. Isabella Schönenberger, MD (Delegate of the Board of Directors)
Prof. Dr. Thomas Ruhstaller, MD (Chairman of the Executive Board, CEO)
Markus Diggelmann, lic. iur. HSG, (President)
Béatrice Fink Düring, lic. oec. HSG
Prof. Dr. med. Michael Knauer (Vice President)
Dr. med. Isabella Schönenberger (Delegate of the Board of Directors)
André Steiner
Treviso Revisions AG, St.Gallen
Areas of activity
General Tumor Therapy
The Tumor- und BrustZentrum Ostschweiz comprehensive, evidence-based diagnosis, consultation, support, treatment, and aftercare for patients with hematological and oncological diseases, all from a single source. It is a relevant service provider in the outpatient sector and fulfills an important part of the healthcare mandate in the region by providing counseling and treatment for people with tumor, blood, or breast diseases.
Senology
In addition to providing a broad range of services in general hematology and internal oncology, we already have a focus on senology (diseases of the breast). As a point of contact with the highest annual number of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients in the St. Gallen region, the Tumor- und BrustZentrum offers rapid and comprehensive clarification, as well as in-depth consultation and guideline-based therapy for breast diseases, especially breast cancer. Patient care is provided in an interdisciplinary and multi-professional network. For this purpose, close cooperation has been established with other members of the certified Breast Center Stephanshorn, which is significantly supported and managed by employees of the Tumor- und BrustZentrum.
Genetic Counseling
Another focus of the Tumor- und BrustZentrum is the genetic clarification and counseling of patients, but also of family members of families with a frequent occurrence of tumor diseases.
Company Mission Statement:Who we are, how we work, what guides us
The employees of all professional groups working at the Tumor- und BrustZentrum jointly pursue the goal of offering patients, relatives and other caregivers personal and empathetic support and care. It is our concern to focus on the person and not on their disease. Our common mission is to advise, show treatment options, help reduce fears, and work together with patients and relatives to achieve the best possible treatment outcome.
We want to heal, help and support.
Modern, knowledge-based medicine
The Tumor- und BrustZentrum works on the basis of knowledge- and evidence-based medicine and provides its services taking into account the latest oncological therapy standards and treatment recommendations. As an important healthcare provider in the region, we take into account the WZW criteria (effective, appropriate and economical) for medical services, but wherever necessary, we are committed to enabling tumor patients to receive the most effective and gentle therapy.
The therapies of our patients are discussed in a team and, if possible, follow defined treatment paths. These are determined by physicians in conferences (tumor boards) and case discussions according to transparent and comprehensible criteria and are constantly adapted to the latest findings.
We want patients to be able to understand and support therapy decisions so that they know what is being done during therapies and why it is being done.
Treatment in a team
We believe in multiprofessionalism and interdisciplinarity, which means collaboration at eye level with a respectful communication and discussion culture.
In addition to experienced specialists in leading positions, our treatment team includes highly qualified nurses, medical assistants and secretaries with heart and mind, a trained team of laboratory technicians and a clinical study team. If required, experts in nutritional advice, psycho-oncological and palliative care can be added from our network at any time and at short notice.
We want patients and their families to feel completely seen and well cared for.
Collaboration with referring physicians and regional networking
We strive to offer our referring physicians and all medical colleagues a high quality of service, to carry out consultations in an accessible and problem-oriented manner, and, depending on the task, to co-manage patients or to take over the treatment completely.
A strong regional network and regular exchange with primary care physicians (general practitioners and other specialists), co-treating specialists, outpatient care and palliative teams, as well as providers of inpatient hospital services of all service categories, is essential for seamless treatment quality without interface problems.
We want to play a central role in the consultation and therapy of cancer patients as a reliable partner in a network of healthcare providers.
Science and Research
Science and research are important to us. The center's medical staff are mostly active in scientific and academic fields, regularly organize internal and external training courses and congresses, and fulfill teaching assignments at various universities.
We conduct clinical research on the one hand through participation in studies by national and international clinical research groups, and on the other hand in the form of our own research projects in the field of oncology, including nursing science aspects.
In our clinical research activities, we feel ultimately committed to the well-being of the patient and the best possible treatment quality, just as we do in our clinical work.
We base our treatments on an evidence-based foundation and want to actively contribute to continuously improving the care of cancer patients through science and practice-based research projects.
Training and Education
We provide training and regularly organize or facilitate qualified further education and training events and courses for specialist colleagues and our employees. We want to be an attractive employer and provide our patients with trained and highly competent contacts at all levels.
Sustainability
We are aware of the value and importance of limited personnel and material resources and therefore give high priority to considerations of the sustainability of our decisions in our company.
We want to avoid the unnecessary use of resources and further develop our company in an economically, ecologically and socially sustainable manner.