GVI Oncology, previously known as Dr Gouws and Partners Inc, was founded in 1990 with the first unit being established in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town. Over the years GVI Oncology has grown and expanded and today operates nine units positioned in various towns and cities throughout South Africa. The current facilities are situated in Constantiaberg, Rondebosch, Pinelands, Bellville, Somerset West, George, Port Elizabeth, East London and Nelspruit.

At GVI Oncology we follow a holistic approach towards cancer care.  Our multi-discplinary teams live our company values of compassion, passion and respect towards the numerous patients they treat on a daily basis .  Our services include specialist consultations, external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy and chemotherapy.  We are proud to offer our patients value added services such as individual or group psycho-social care of patients and their families and comprehensive information on all aspects of cancer care. 

In the first decade of its existence GVI Oncology grew from a single unit with one Cobalt machine and a staff complement of six people to an organisation with nine units and 10 linear accelerators at its disposal.  A further two units with two linear accelerators each are currently in the final phase of construction and two new units and the expansion of one other is planned for 2010. In the same period the staff complement grew to more than 300 people, with dedicated practice managers at the head of each of the oncology units; the latest addition to the GVI Oncology leadership team.

Today GVI Oncology has 28 Clinical Oncologists in their fulltime employ, whilst their facilities around the country are used by a further 18 independent Oncology specialists. GVI Oncology currently has the largest complement of radiation therapists (Radiographers), radiation laboratory technicians, full time medical physicists, oncology social workers and oncology trained professional nurses in the country. GVI Oncology has partnered with a company of service engineers for maintenance of its equipment to reduce potential downtime. Our emphasis is on working together and encouraging participation from all members in our team in delivering the highest possible standard of care.

Over the same period GVI Oncology grew from an organisation seeing less than 200 new patients in year one, to more than 4,200 new patients per year, and from registering less than 2,000 patient contacts in year one, to more than 130,000 patient contacts per year which administers around 17,000 chemotherapy treatments and more than 58,000 individual radiotherapy sessions per year.

GVI Oncology is widely regarded as a forerunner in the field of cancer management in South Africa and has been responsible for many “firsts” in the field of radiotherapy in South Africa. These include various Brachytherapy techniques and implementing Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) in clinical practice. It has centralized functions like mould room work and 3-D conformal and IMRT planning at its Head Office in Bellville, which means that every patient in all the facilities all over the country has access to the same high standards of planning and radiation.  GVI Oncology also have a well established clinical trials arm in both Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, with plans to expand this to two more units in 2010, which allows us to offer our patients access to the latest clinical trials with its potential benefits, often at greatly reduced costs.

Numerous national initiatives have developed with the input of GVI Oncology and its management. GVI Oncology was intimately involved in the establishment of the SA Oncology Consortium (SAOC – see www.saoc.org.za) and was also involved with national co-operatives like the industry comments on the Health Charter, National Cancer Plan, Prescribed Minimum Benefits and ongoing Fee negotiations. Of late, driving the establishment of a national network to improve access to oncology services to a larger part of the population (referred to as ICON) has received a huge amount of attention and energy from GVI Oncology’s senior management team.

Our philosophy towards cancer treatment is holistic and we are continually striving to achieve our core purpose of excellence in the provision of comprehensive cancer care. To this effect GVI Oncology has documented Standard Operating procedures for all tasks undertaken throughout the organization allowing standardization and setting an expected standard of care.

GVI Oncology have documented clinical protocols which ensures patients peace of mind that they would be afforded the same high standards of care in line with the best available anywhere in the world at any given point in time. GVI Oncology has a strong educational focus and to this effect we have weekly in house academic meetings, bi-annual coastal and peninsula trainings sessions and an annual national GVI Oncology mini conference where all staff are encouraged to attend and present work they have done. GVI Oncology has full training facilities with its own lecture room at its head office in Bellville.

Patients can be assured of treatment in line with the best available anywhere in the world at any of GVI Oncology’s facilities around the country.