New Patient Questions
It is important to ask questions throughout your care journey. Following are just some of the questions that you might ask on your first office visit. Of course, we are ready to answer all of your questions during any office visit or on the phone between visits.
Questions to Ask During Your First Office Visit:
Download these questions in a Printable PDF document here >
- Why was I referred to your office?
- What are your office locations?
- How do I contact your office?
- How do I sign up for your patient portal?
- What information is available through the portal?
- Can my family member (or other) access my information through the patient portal with my permission?
- Is the condition that we are evaluating and/or treating an actual cancer diagnosis?
- Do you treat other conditions in your office that are not associated with cancer?
- What tests and/or procedures will be required to adequately diagnose and evaluate my condition?
- If I have cancer, is it curable?
- What treatment options are appropriate for my cancer (ex. surgery, radiation, chemotherapy)?
- What stage is my cancer? How is that determined?
- If systemic therapy (ex. chemotherapy, immunotherapy) is recommended, can that be done in your office?
- Will my insurance cover the tests and treatments that I need?
- What are my options if my co-pay and/or co-insurance amounts are very expensive?
- What will be the recommended schedule for my treatments (i.e. time for each treatment and how often)?
- Is there a possibility that my treatment schedule might have to be changed?
- How long will I need to continue treatment?
- Will my treatment make me sick?
- Will my treatment make me lose my hair? If so, how quickly?
- Are there precautions I should take while on treatment?
- Are there any restrictions while on treatment (ex. driving, traveling)?
- How will treatments be administered (ex. orally, intravenously, through a port-a-cath)?
- Do I have to be in the hospital during my treatment course?
- Can I be accompanied on my treatments?
- How will I know if the treatment is working?
- After I have completed treatment, how is my cancer followed?
- Are there maintenance medications that I need to take after my active cancer treatments?
- If my cancer is not curable, what is the average life expectancy in my situation?