Welcome to Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute

A Patient-Centered Practice

The Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute (RBOI) was named after “Rusty” Boissoneault, who died of Hodgkin’s Disease (lymphatic cancer) at the age of 21. RBOI’s founder, Dr. Norman Anderson, credits his high school friend Rusty with helping him dedicate his life’s work to the best cancer care possible.

“He died too young,” Anderson said. “Growing up in Winter Park, we were so close. We were like the two halves of the same person. I wanted the center to bear his name. Now he will live a long time after me.”

Read more about Rusty Boisonneault.

RBOI currently operates five clinics. In 1998 the Institute was awarded accreditation by the American College of Radiology (ACR), the highest honor that can be awarded a radiation oncology practice in the United States of America. RBOI has maintained this accreditation ever since.

Read more about our accreditation.

RBOI first opened its doors at 2020 SE 17th Street in Ocala on April 30, 1990, to patients from all over North Central Florida. That $2.1 million building with its $3 million worth of equipment was a state-of-the-art dream come true for Dr. Anderson. “There is not another building like this in the country,” he says.

He ought to know; he designed the entire layout himself. The first architect apparently couldn’t grasp the concept, but Earl Swenson of Nashville, Tennessee did. The result is a masterful blend of scientific and psychological planning that ministers to both the medical needs of the individual patient and the equally important emotional ones.

The patient comes first in every aspect of RBOI’s practice and philosophy, in memory of Dr. Anderson’s childhood friend.

RBOI Logo

Need Assistance Or Have A Question?

Call (352) 732-0277

Find Us Close To Home

“Collectively, the staff has had many years of experience in radiation therapy and we all have the same philosophy:

the patient comes first.”

— Dr. Norman Anderson

State-of-the-Art Equipment

RBOI’s initial facility on 17th Street succeeded Dr. Anderson’s Community Radiation Therapy Center, replacing a 3,500 square foot clinic with one measuring 16,000 square feet. Included are three treatment rooms, examination rooms, a central courtyard atrium, and state-of-the-art radiation treatment equipment. We currently have four treatment facilities and ten linear accelerators. Their radiation beams kill cancer cells and give healthy cells a chance to heal.

Our equipment is linked with a powerful computer system designed to provide the best health care possible. “By combining the action of the linear accelerator and the computer system, we can get radiation deep into the body without damage to normal tissues along the way,” Dr. Anderson says. “We will be able to treat tumors that historically have been impossible to reach.”

Our quality control is second to none. Our treatment machines are maintained by two of the finest in-house former Varian engineers, whose fulltime presence makes them readily available for any maintenance needs. Our board-certified medical professionals and licensed support staff are on site.

Designed to Meet Medical and Emotional Needs

”When a patient is diagnosed as having cancer, the impact is overwhelming,” says Dr. Anderson. Traveling out of town for treatment makes it even harder for patients and their families. And cold clinical waiting rooms with impersonal routine attention do little for the upbeat attitude cancer patients need to cherish. RBOI gives as much attention to emotional needs as to medical needs.

Welcoming – Our spacious “living room” waiting areas provide all the comforts of home and are ideal for seminars and study. Our front doors open to an inviting fireplace and natural lighting streams through large windows. Our bookshelves hold a well-rounded library. Everyone is greeted warmly by staff.

Calming – Skylights, soft lighting, high ceilings, and generous use of windows add to the ambience. Soft music plays throughout our buildings. You won’t hear loud overhead announcements during your visit. Instead, control panels are used to locate each doctor by color coded lights.

Accessible – Our examination rooms open into two corridors. The patient corridor offers greater mobility and less foot traffic for patients to navigate. Separately, the employee corridor provides access to doctors’ offices, conference room, and other employee facilities. A rear parking lot includes a special entrance with electronic doors for wheelchair and stretcher patients, leading to our homey waiting rooms.

Uplifting – Each facility possesses a unique ambience that includes garden spaces, koi ponds, and atria. This connection with nature is both engaging and relaxing, to help lessen anxiety or stress. All of RBOI’s clinics follow similar design principles.

Private – Our intimate family consultation room features soundproof walls and the kind of furnishings you would expect to find in a cozy corner of your home.

Patient-Centered Philosophy – “Collectively, the staff has had many years of experience in radiation therapy, and we all have the same philosophy,” Dr. Anderson says. “The patient comes first.”