Emergency Medicine
Kumar Alagappan, M.D.
Professor and Chair
- Departments, Labs and Institutes
- Departments and Divisions
- Emergency Medicine
In 2010, MD Anderson created the first academic Emergency Medicine department in a comprehensive cancer center.
In 2010, MD Anderson created the first academic Emergency Medicine department in a comprehensive cancer center.
The department is comprised of a group of physicians, advanced practice providers, and researchers dedicated to promoting the development of oncologic emergency medicine as a distinct discipline.The department's mission focuses on the discovery and application of time-critical diagnostics, decision-making and treatments that save lives, reduction of patient disability and restoration of health among persons with cancer.
Acute Cancer Care Center
The department oversees MD Anderson's Acute Cancer Care Center. Nearly 30,000 patients annually receive care in this 44-bed center for a variety of acute oncologic emergencies. The Acute Cancer Care Center provides service to approximately seventy patients per day with cancer-related conditions and is an important safety net for MD Anderson patients. The center takes great pride in treating MD Anderson patients with empathy, efficiency and expertise.
Clinical Decision Unit
The Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) is an outpatient unit that provides observation services to patients that do not meet the admission criteria. Short-term treatments, assessments and reassessments are provided while a decision is being made for final disposition. The CDU is a 16-bed unit with 24/7 provider coverage, managing a number of medical problems that do not require hospitalization.