Get our free fact sheet, Choosing a Blood Cancer Specialist or Treatment Center
Use this free fact sheet as a quick reference guide or to help you develop questions to ask your doctor.
Download or order up to 50 free copies today.
Taking an active role in making decisions about your treatment can positively affect your health and quality of life. One of your first choices as an active participant in your care is to select a blood cancer specialist to manage your treatment or to choose a treatment center.
You may be seeking a blood cancer specialist or a treatment center because you:
- Are currently having lab and/or imaging tests to confirm or rule out a blood cancer diagnosis
- Have recently been diagnosed with a blood cancer and want to explore your treatment options
- Are in treatment but want to explore other options
- Have relapsed disease
- Have consulted with specialists and you want a second opinion
Should I choose a treatment center or blood cancer specialist first?
Some people choose a treatment center first because they are familiar with a nearby center, while others begin by choosing a specialist to manage their treatment. Some people may have the option to travel to another city or state for treatment, while others do not. Whatever your situation, understanding which questions to ask, the issues to consider, and the resources that are available will help you make informed choices.
Before you decide on a treatment center or specialist, check your insurance policy to understand the coverage provided by your plan. Some insurance plans require a referral from your primary care doctor for a consultation with any type of specialist. They may also require that you choose from the plan’s in-network list of specialists and affiliated treatment centers. Make sure that you know whether your plan will cover getting a second or third opinion.
If you do not have health insurance, there are public health insurance plans and other types of financial assistance that may be available to you. You can contact your state or local health department to find out what is available in your region or you may contact an Blood Cancer United Information Specialist who can provide you with resources and information.
Knowing the type of doctors who may be on your care team is important. A hematologist specializes in treating diseases of the blood. A hematologist-oncologist is a doctor who specializes in treating blood cancers. Pediatric hematologist-oncologists treat infants, children, and adolescents with blood cancers.
Blood cancers are uncommon diseases, so it can be to your advantage to be treated by a doctor specially trained to treat patients with blood cancers. For this reason, many people with blood cancer choose a hematologist-oncologist to manage their treatment. If your doctor is not a blood cancer specialist, your treating doctor can work in consultation with a hematologist-oncologist.
There are a number of ways to find a blood cancer specialist. You may:
- Ask your primary care doctor for a recommendation
- Contact your community cancer center
- Reach out to doctor and/or insurance referral services
- Call an Blood Cancer United Information Specialist at (800) 955-4572
These online doctor-finder resources are also available:
- The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) offers a service to help patients find board-certified specialists
- Find a Hematologist, a service provided by the American Society of Hematology (ASH), helps match patients with hematologists in their area.
- Find an Oncologist, a service offered by Cancer.Net, the American Society of Clinical Oncology's patient information website, helps match patients with doctors and healthcare professionals who participate in approved oncology programs.
- DocFinder, a service provided by Administrators in Medicine, provides doctor licensing and disciplinary information
Questions to ask when choosing a blood cancer specialist
Once you've identified a potential blood cancer specialist(s), make an appointment for a consultation. When you meet with the doctor, take notes or record the meeting (ask the specialist if they mind) if you find it helpful. You can also bring a family member or friend along to participate in the discussion, take notes, and provide support.
Arrive at your appointment prepared with questions, such as:
- Are you board certified and licensed?
- Are you a member of any professional societies?
- How much experience do you have treating patients with my disease?
- Is your hospital, university, center, or clinic accredited and experienced in treating blood cancers?
- How long should I expect to wait for appointments or the return of my phone calls?
- Will nurses, social workers, and case managers be available to help me with support and quality of life concerns?
- Would you recommend that I speak with any other hematologist-oncologists?
- When should I call you? What questions can my family doctor answer?
- What is the best way to contact you?
- How do I contact you at night? On weekends? On holidays?
Learn more about communicating with your blood cancer specialist or find a list of suggested questions to ask your healthcare providers.
Selecting a cancer treatment center may depend on several factors, including your specific diagnosis, location, and health insurance coverage. You will want to choose an accredited treatment center with the medical expertise to provide the type(s) of treatment you will need.
Most healthcare organizations and programs in the United States are evaluated for accreditation by The Joint Commission. Receiving accreditation from The Joint Commission means that an organization complies with the Commission’s standards and strives to improve the care and services it provides. Visit The Joint Commission’s Quality Check website to review performance reports for participating institutions.
A number of resources are available to help you find a treatment center. Your primary care doctor may be able to provide a referral, or you can use doctor and insurance referral services. The following organizations may also help:
- The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) provides information about more than 670 community cancer centers
- Find a Commission on Cancer-Accredited Program, a service offered through the American College of Surgeons
- The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) offers information on U.S. transplant centers
- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides information on health-related topics and links to resources
Types of treatment centers
National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the federal government’s principal agency for cancer research and training and is one of eight agencies that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports cancer research and training while also providing a wealth of authoritative information on these topics. The NCI also supports a national network of cancer centers, each of which must meet scientific, organizational, and administrative criteria to be recognized by the institute.
There are two types of cancer centers recognized by the NCI; both offer the most recent advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment:
- NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers must demonstrate research in each of three major areas: laboratory, clinical, and population-based research. In addition, a comprehensive center must also demonstrate professional and public education and outreach capabilities, including the distribution of clinical and public health advances in the communities it serves.
- NCI-designated cancer centers must demonstrate scientific leadership, resources, and capabilities in laboratory, clinical, or population science, or some combination of these three components. It must also demonstrate reasonable research in the scientific areas it chooses.
Find an NCI-approved cancer center.
University-affiliated hospitals or centers
University-affiliated hospitals or centers are affiliated with a university or medical school and provide training for medical students. They may be NCI-designated and are likely to offer:
- Up-to-date cancer treatment and care
- Support staff
- A unit or associated center that performs stem cell transplantation
Community cancer centers or local hospitals
You may decide to receive care at your local hospital or a community cancer center because it's close to home or you already know the healthcare professionals who practice there. If the local treatment center or hematologist-oncologist is affiliated with an NCI-designated Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP), by which local and community oncologists collaborate with NCI researchers, you may be able to receive NCI-sponsored treatments, including access to clinical trials, at the local center.
If the local center is not affiliated with the NCI and/or a university or medical school, it is important to ask your local cancer specialist if they will be able to consult with area university specialists or NCI researchers before and during the course of treatment.
Questions to help you choose a treatment center
When you call or visit the treatment center you're considering, ask the following questions to help make your decision:
- Is care at the treatment center covered by my health insurance plan?
- Does my primary care doctor or hematologist-oncologist have confidence in this treatment center?
- What type of accreditation does the treatment center have? Do the treatment center and staff have experience treating my specific type of blood cancer?
- Does the center offer the most current treatments available?
- Does the center participate in clinical trials (research studies) related to my diagnosis?
- Are adequate support staff (nurses, social workers, case managers, patient advocates) available?
- Will I see the same support staff members on each visit?
- Is there a pharmacy on the premises or nearby?
- If a stem cell transplant is part of the treatment plan, is this center experienced in performing the type of stem cell transplant I will need?
- Can I speak to other cancer patients who are being treated or were treated at this center?
Find a list of suggested questions to ask your healthcare providers.
Get free, one-on-one support
Call, email, or chat with a member of our highly trained support team.
Blood Cancer United resources
Find free, specialized guidance and information for every type of blood cancer, request financial support, find emotional support, and connect with other members of the blood cancer community.
