Your first visit to our Oncology (cancer) and Hematology (blood diseases) practice can be a frightening and difficult time. Please rest assured you will be treated with utmost care and compassion.
You often will need blood work for your doctor’s visits or treatments. Sometimes this can be drawn in the office or on-site the day of your appointment however, many times results need to be known in order to proceed with treatments. For those instances, labs will need to be drawn a day or two ahead of your appointment. Staff will assist you with the timing and scheduling of your blood work. You do not need to fast for your lab work unless specifically requested to do so.
You will be seen by one of our Physicians. A Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant or a Resident may see you first. They will obtain a comprehensive health history and exam. For your first visit, it may be helpful to bring a family member or a friend with you for support and an extra set of “ears” as there can be a lot of information to absorb.
Some patients need treatment such as chemotherapy, blood products, other infusions or injections. Unless urgent, this is usually not done at the time of your first visit. We will do our best to arrange your treatments at a time that works for you.
Your first visit may take more than an hour as we like to address any questions or concerns you may have.