We are here for you at every point along your journey!
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Scheduling Your First Appointment
Once your referring physician has contacted our office, our New Patient Coordinator will schedule your first appointment with an NHOH physician and collect the necessary information for your visit (pathology reports, radiology films, lab results, etc.). Our New Patient Coordinator will send you our new patient introduction packet. We encourage you to review this as it will familiarize you with our practice and staff, our care philosophy, mission and values, and other helpful details. You will also receive a phone call prior to your first visit to complete the new patient registration and to see if you have any financial concerns.
Your First Visit
Your first visit will be scheduled for a full hour with your physician to allow for a complete assessment, to review treatment options and recommendations, as well as explain the plan of care that you and your physician agree upon. Occasionally, additional testing isneeded before a treatment course can be determined. Ample time will be made to answer your questions and concerns.
Coping with a recent diagnosis can be stressful and overwhelming. Since it may be difficult to remember all of the details of your first visit, we encourage patients to bring a family member or other support person with them to their consult and any future appointments. We know how helpful this support can be to our patients, and we fully encourage family support and shared decison-making.
What to bring to your first appointment:
- A list of questions you want to ask
- Your support person, who may also have questions
- Your signed acknowledgement of receipt of the NHOH Notice of Privacy Practices (for the Concord office only)
- Completed medication form (a complete list of your current medications and nutritional supplements)
- Your medical insurance card and prescription card (we will make a copy to keep in your record).
- Your photo identification
- Completed family history form
- A pen and pad to take notes
You will leave this appointment with your physician’s recommendations for your treatment course, and if needed, a plan for any additional work-up/testing. Your physician may order blood tests to be taken that day. If so, we have laboratories conveniently located onsite. If other testing is ordered by your physician such as X-Rays, CT scans or PET scans, our office staff will schedule those tests for you.
The Next Steps: Your Personal Treatment Plan
Our goal is to make your treatment with us as comfortable as possible. We strive to answer any questions you have regarding your treatment at any time. Once you have agreed on a plan of care with your physician, the next steps will include one or more of the following pathways:
Watch and Wait
For some patients, the best treatment is no treatment right away. Instead, a “Watch and Wait” surveillance of their condition is indicated. Our staff will schedule your next appointment with your physician or care team as well as any related testing as recommended.
Non-Chemotherapy/Non-Immunotherapy Medication Interventions
For some patients, the recommended treatment plan will call for non-chemotherapy/non-immunotherapy oral medications to be taken at home or injections which are administered by our nursing staff. Our staff will schedule your next appointment with one of our nurses or advanced practice providers (physican assistants or nurse practioners) and a follow-up with your physician will be scheduled as indicated in your treatment plan.
Laboratory Interventions
For patients requiring blood testing and/or monitoring, our staff will schedule your laboratory visits as recommended. This can be arranged inour office or at a laboratory draw station closer to your home. Follow-up with your physician will be scheduled as indicated in your treatment plan.
Chemotherapy Treatment
If your treatment plan includes chemotherapy, your next appointment will be a Teaching Visit with one of our oncology nurses or advanced practice providers (PAs or APRNs). This will be a personalized appointment to explain the specifics of your treatment regimen, what side effects you can expect and how to best manage them, as well as a wide range of useful resources. A significant amount of information will be covered during this visit which you can expect will take an hour to complete.
This visit provides an important opportunity for you to ask questions about your treatment and we encourage you to bring a member of your family/support team to attend, as you will receive a lot of information. Some of the questions patients frequently ask include:
- Will I lose my hair?
- How long will my chemo treatments take?
- How frequent will my chemo treatments be?
- Can I eat before my treatment?
- Will I be able to drive after my treatment?
- Will I become nauseated?
- How tired will I be?
- Will I be able to continue working?
You will be given a brief tour of our office including a visit to the treatment area. By becoming familiar with our office and routine procedures, you can look forward to a treatment experience as smooth and comfortable as possible.
NHOH Referral Policy
Our patients are those who have already been diagnosed with cancer or blood-related disorders, and are referred to us by a primary care physician or other specialist. We are frequently contacted by individuals with concerns about their personal medical history or who are experiencing symptoms for which they are seeking screening or diagnostic testing. We strongly encourage these individuals to be seen by a qualified primary care physician or specialist, who can provide the appropriate diagnostic testing. Those patients needing further evaluation will be referred to us for a consult appointment.