When you’re diagnosed with cancer, not only you’ll have to deal with the grief, but also you need to urgently make decisions about your healthcare. One of the most important things you need to do here is to find the good Oncologist. But inevitably you can’t make that decision as quickly as a flicker, and there’re many things that come into consideration. So let’s dive in;
Insurance Coverage
Even if you have hell lot of money, you can’t just throw it away and waste it by paying extra for no reason. First of all, you need to check the insurance coverage as it’ll help you narrow down your selection. But when it comes to learning whether or not a physician is covered in your insurance plan is more than just a yes or no.
For that, you’ll have to figure out whether your policy refers to first and second tier providers or not. Also, you need to look for the in-network and out-of-network providers. In case you are ambiguous, you can call up the customer service number on the back of your insurance card.
Hospital Affiliations
Typically, the oncologists don’t practice in isolation. They’re mostly either affiliated with the hospital or cancer center. When it’s about the cancer treatment, it’s not only the oncologist who’s looking after all this but also the radiation oncologist, surgeons, palliative care physicians, physical therapists and other specialists are also involved in the process. So while looking up for physicians, it’s good to even look for the cancer treatment center that’ll meet your specific needs.
Location Does Matter
Everybody wants to have convenience, but for a cancer patient, it’s a need. So make sure you find the cancer center near your home especially if you aren’t really well. But obviously, it isn’t always possible. The chances are that you might not have a cancer hospital nearby or even specific therapies & clinical trials might be available at a distance.
Studies found that lung cancer patients getting surgery at centers have better outcomes. So here’re a few questions you need to ask yourself now. How important is it for you to be near home? How far can you travel for care? Do you have any relatives close to a cancer center that you can stay with?
Second Opinion for a good oncologist
Even if you have found a good oncologist, getting a second opinion is always a good idea. You might feel that your oncologist will feel offended if you go for a second opinion, but honestly, that’s not true. In fact, your current oncologist in Dubai often assumes that you’ll go for a second opinion as well.
Even if you are very much comfortable and satisfied with the treatment laid out by the first doctor, having a second opinion will make you confident enough that you didn’t make a hasty decision.