Cancer Treatment Centers

Questions to ask about treatment centers:

• How long has the treatment center been providing the recommended treatment for the disease I have?  
• What is the success rate of the treatment center as it pertains to my disease?
• Is this a teaching hospital or treatment center? If so, should I expect to have interns and students as part of the medical team treating me?
• How can I compare this treatment center to others that treat the illness?
• Does the treatment center have a social worker or other support professionals available to me and my family?
• Where is the treatment center? Is it easy to get to?
• Can I have a tour of the treatment center and speak with the medical staff who would provide my treatment before I decide if this is the facility I wish to go to?
• Do I have the right to choose the treatment facility I want to be treated at?  Will my insurance cover expenses at the treatment center of my choice?
• Is there someone at the treatment center who can help us with insurance issues?
• Does the treatment center have a website where I can view all of the details of my medical expenses, what portion my insurance paid, etc.?
• What other resources does the treatment center have for me and my family?
• If my treatment center is far from my home, and I need to be in for treatment early in the day, is there an inexpensive place near the center where I can stay overnight the night before?
• Approximately how long will I be at the treatment center?
• How does the center decide which staff members will work with me? Will I have a primary care nurse, for example, who provides most of my daily care, with other secondary and tertiary nurses who work with him/her to continue my care?
• How does the medical staff view my family’s participation in my treatment and recuperation?
• Does the treatment center have a web site where I can view all of the details of my medical expenses, what portion my insurance paid, etc.?
• If I am to be a distance from home during my treatment, are there facilities nearby where my family can stay that are inexpensive (like Ronald McDonald houses)? How can I find this out?
• If my family comes to the center on a daily basis, is parking available at a discounted rate? What is the daily parking rate?
• Are there inexpensive places to eat close to the treatment center for my family to use?
• While undergoing long-term treatment, what kinds of items from home will I be permitted to have with me? What am I expected to provide?