Finding an oncologist or cancer center can feel overwhelming since there are many options, but it’s important to do a little research to ensure you find the right fit. Choosing the right doctor or cancer center is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. You may see different types of oncologists for your treatment, but typically there is one doctor that will coordinate your treatment and help you navigate next steps. Some people look for the right oncologist first and then base their decision of where to get treated on where the doctor practices. Others focus on searching for a cancer center that treats their cancer type first and then find a doctor who works there.
When researching your options, there are a few steps you may want to take to find the right doctor or cancer center that will help manage your care. Oncologists can practice in different locations, such as cancer centers, university and community hospitals, and local offices, so make sure to also consider the location of the doctor in your search.
You may want to begin your search through recommendations from people you trust, such as the doctor who found your cancer, people you know who’ve had cancer, online communities and/or patient advocacy organizations. You can also do some research online through some of the directories we’ve mapped below. Your health insurance coverage may also impact your decision, and your insurance company can provide you with a list of covered specialists to choose from where you don’t have to pay additional fees out-of-pocket. As you begin to collect important information about each doctor or treatment center and narrow down your options, there are a few factors, which you should consider as you schedule your first appointment and seek second (and even third) opinions. You can use Questions to Ask and the Find a Doctor/Cancer Center Checklist to guide you with next steps.
Aside from the doctor’s educational background, which you can find online or confirm through a phone call, experience in treating your type of cancer with knowledge of the latest guidelines and research is important. You may want to ask if the doctor is board-certified, which means they have extra training in a specialty area; although, not all doctors who are specialists have board-certification.
You may want to check which cancer center or hospital your doctor has privileges at, in case any of your treatment will be in an inpatient setting. Your insurance company may not cover all treatment facilities so be sure to do your due diligence to avoid any unexpected bills.
Find a doctor that you feel comfortable with, who will partner with you over time to manage your care. There may be other criteria you use to find the right fit, including but not limited to their empathy, communication style, personality, holistic approach to your care, understanding of your emotional needs and/or receptivity to empowering you to make informed decisions. You may also have different preferences, such as language, sex or race. To help you make a decision, arrange to meet with the doctor and other members of the care team (in person or a virtual visit) to get to know them better and gain a sense of their willingness to partner with you on next steps.
There are different types of cancer centers and as you explore your options, take the time to reflect on what’s most important to
you. The first step is identifying what’s covered by your insurance company and what type of coverage you have if you decide to
go out of network. You can work with your insurance company, cancer center billing, nurses and social workers to determine
coverage and potential out of pocket costs. There are a few other key considerations you may want to take into account.
The size or location of the cancer center may also be a factor in your decision. How far is the treatment center from your home? It may be worth the inconvenience to travel to a cancer center that meets your needs and provides you with the best possible care, especially if you want access to clinical trials and research, which might be a benefit provided at a larger cancer center. Take into account how often you may need to travel for treatment, the expenses involved, and if you will need someone to drive you. If it’s far from home, ask if they offer financial assistance for travel and/or a place for you and your family to stay. You can also inquire about having your treatment plan managed by a cancer center that’s further away with occasional appointments, and then have day-to-day treatment locally through an affiliated location closer to home. This can also allow family and friends to offer support and assistance when needed.
Does the cancer center have tumor boards where experts in different areas meet to discuss the best way to manage your specific care? There are many ways to treat cancer today with evolving treatment options and emerging science. Multi-disciplinary care is a team approach that involves a group of experts and different specialists that review and discuss your cancer and treatment options to map out and coordinate the most beneficial treatment plan for you. Doctors across different disciplines, such as medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiation oncologists, as well as other cancer care specialists, including but not limited to nurses, genetic counselors and social workers, may also be involved in your care. Learn more about your circle of care. You may also want to explore how much experience the cancer center has in treating your cancer type, including clinical trials, especially if it’s a rare cancer or cancer that’s harder to treat.
As you consider your options, you may want to check if the cancer center has been rated by a state or consumer group for its quality of care and/or if it has been accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body. Accreditation is an evaluation process that a cancer center participates in to demonstrate it has met national standards for quality care and patient safety, and provides the gold standard of care as per a recognized accreditation organization. Accreditation is not required for a cancer center to provide cancer care, but it is a good starting point to find a center that is right for you.
There are a few accrediting bodies in healthcare, which include:
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are recognized for meeting rigorous standards for cutting-edge research focused on developing new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer.
American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer recognizes organizations that meet a set of rigorous standards in commitment to quality cancer care and multi-disciplinary services.
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations recognizes healthcare organizations that meet a variety of quality of care and service measures, where you can also check reports on the quality and safety of accredited organizations.
National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) recognizes cancer centers that meet rigorous quality of care standards with a focus on screening and prevention, a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment and survivorship.
Cancer centers provide different support services that might be important to you throughout treatment. Some of the smaller cancer centers may not have a spectrum of options, but there are a few services and/or offerings you might want to consider as you make a decision.
Finding an oncologist or cancer center can feel overwhelming since there are many options, but it’s important to do a little research to ensure you find the right fit. Choosing the right doctor or cancer center is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. You may see different types of oncologists for your treatment, but typically there is one doctor that will coordinate your treatment and help you navigate next steps. Some people look for the right oncologist first and then base their decision of where to get treated on where the doctor practices. Others focus on searching for a cancer center that treats their cancer type first and then find a doctor who works there.
When researching your options, there are a few steps you may want to take to find the right doctor or cancer center that will help manage your care. Oncologists can practice in different locations, such as cancer centers, university and community hospitals, and local offices, so make sure to also consider the location of the doctor in your search.
You may want to begin your search through recommendations from people you trust, such as the doctor who found your cancer, people you know who’ve had cancer, online communities and/or patient advocacy organizations. You can also do some research online through some of the directories we’ve mapped below. Your health insurance coverage may also impact your decision, and your insurance company can provide you with a list of covered specialists to choose from where you don’t have to pay additional fees out-of-pocket. As you begin to collect important information about each doctor or treatment center and narrow down your options, there are a few factors, which you should consider as you schedule your first appointment and seek second (and even third) opinions. You can use Questions to Ask and the Find a Doctor/Cancer Center Checklist to guide you with next steps.
Aside from the doctor’s educational background, which you can find online or confirm through a phone call, experience in treating your type of cancer with knowledge of the latest guidelines and research is important. You may want to ask if the doctor is board-certified, which means they have extra training in a specialty area; although, not all doctors who are specialists have board-certification.
You may want to check which cancer center or hospital your doctor has privileges at, in case any of your treatment will be in an inpatient setting. Your insurance company may not cover all treatment facilities so be sure to do your due diligence to avoid any unexpected bills.
Find a doctor that you feel comfortable with, who will partner with you over time to manage your care. There may be other criteria you use to find the right fit, including but not limited to their empathy, communication style, personality, holistic approach to your care, understanding of your emotional needs and/or receptivity to empowering you to make informed decisions. You may also have different preferences, such as language, sex or race. To help you make a decision, arrange to meet with the doctor and other members of the care team (in person or a virtual visit) to get to know them better and gain a sense of their willingness to partner with you on next steps.
There are different types of cancer centers and as you explore your options, take the time to reflect on what’s most important to you. The first step is identifying what’s covered by your insurance company and what type of coverage you have if you decide to go out of network. You can work with your insurance company, cancer center billing, nurses and social workers to determine coverage and potential out of pocket costs. There are a few other key considerations you may want to take into account.
The size or location of the cancer center may also be a factor in your decision. How far is the treatment center from your home? It may be worth the inconvenience to travel to a cancer center that meets your needs and provides you with the best possible care, especially if you want access to clinical trials and research, which might be a benefit provided at a larger cancer center. Take into account how often you may need to travel for treatment, the expenses involved, and if you will need someone to drive you. If it’s far from home, ask if they offer financial assistance for travel and/or a place for you and your family to stay. You can also inquire about having your treatment plan managed by a cancer center that’s further away with occasional appointments, and then have day-to-day treatment locally through an affiliated location closer to home. This can also allow family and friends to offer support and assistance when needed.
Does the cancer center have tumor boards where experts in different areas meet to discuss the best way to manage your specific care? There are many ways to treat cancer today with evolving treatment options and emerging science. Multi-disciplinary care is a team approach that involves a group of experts and different specialists that review and discuss your cancer and treatment options to map out and coordinate the most beneficial treatment plan for you. Doctors across different disciplines, such as medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiation oncologists, as well as other cancer care specialists, including but not limited to nurses, genetic counselors and social workers, may also be involved in your care. Learn more about your circle of care. You may also want to explore how much experience the cancer center has in treating your cancer type, including clinical trials, especially if it’s a rare cancer or cancer that’s harder to treat.
As you consider your options, you may want to check if the cancer center has been rated by a state or consumer group for its quality of care and/or if it has been accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body. Accreditation is an evaluation process that a cancer center participates in to demonstrate it has met national standards for quality care and patient safety, and provides the gold standard of care as per a recognized accreditation organization. Accreditation is not required for a cancer center to provide cancer care, but it is a good starting point to find a center that is right for you.
There are a few accrediting bodies in healthcare, which include:
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are recognized for meeting rigorous standards for cutting-edge research focused on developing new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer.
American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer recognizes organizations that meet a set of rigorous standards in commitment to quality cancer care and multi-disciplinary services.
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations recognizes healthcare organizations that meet a variety of quality of care and service measures, where you can also check reports on the quality and safety of accredited organizations.
National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) recognizes cancer centers that meet rigorous quality of care standards with a focus on screening and prevention, a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment and survivorship.
Cancer centers provide different support services that might be important to you throughout treatment. Some of the smaller cancer centers may not have a spectrum of options, but there are a few services and/or offerings you might want to consider as you make a decision.
