BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Dignity Health Mercy and Memorial Hospitals and the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center have announced a partnership that will include developing an inpatient cancer care unit and a pediatric oncology program.

"One of the problems cancer patients have is a difficult time accessing care within a hospital," said CBCC medical director Dr. Ravi Patel.  

The inpatient cancer care unit will be at Mercy's downtown hospital and feature private patient rooms, shared family room and dedicated section of the emergency department.

"The emergency department is full of lots of infection and people coming and going with cancer patients whose immune systems are compromised. We will create an avenue for them to access the care they are needed without having to be exposed to all the diseases in the emergency department,"  said Mercy hospital president Russell Judd.

The announcement comes just a week before San Joaquin Community Hospital is set to open its own cancer center.

"We literally welcome competition because one of the things is when there is competition, patients benefit. The standard of care goes up, the patients needs are met in a more effective and better way," said Patel.