Finding the right cancer care center is important to your overall treatment. Also, if you need emergency medical care with your cancer, it’s important you can have confidence in their emergency care services. Follow these guidelines to find the right treatment center for you.
Experience
It’s necessary that the cancer care center you choose has the necessary experience for dealing with cancer related issues. In particular, you should find one that has experience dealing with the specific cancer that you have. For example, if you have breast cancer, you should know if the center specializes in giving breast cancer treatment. Also, learn how effective their treatments have been for their patients. Doing this can help you feel comfortable in any case you might need emergency medical care for your cancer. Concerning female health, women in the U.S. should be aware that they have a 12.4%, or one-in-eight, lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Proximity
The distance the cancer care facility is from your home or office should be a major factor as well. In any case you might need emergency medical care, it’s good to be able to get to the treatment center as quickly as possible. However, if the best cancer care center you need for your type of cancer is far from you, ask if the center has a place for you and your family to stay if needed. Also check if there are airports, restaurants, and hotels nearby as well. This way if you need to stay in the area longer for further radiation treatment or testing, it’ll be easier to stay close to the center.
Accreditation
One good way that you can start your search is through accredited cancer centers. These are treatment centers that meet the highest standards of care. There are two categories they fall under. One category is cancer centers. These centers do clinical and laboratory research. In general, they do provide care for cancer patients, but keep in mind that some only do laboratory research.
The other category is comprehensive cancer centers. They do all of the same activities as cancer centers, but they also provide community outreach and educational programs. Choosing an accredited cancer treatment center will lead you to the best care you can possibly have. The National Cancer Institute, The American College of Surgeons, and The Joint Commission, all offer a list of centers that are accredited. In addition, NCI has a national clinical trials network, which helps connect patients to clinical trials conducted by doctors, researchers, and health care professionals.
All of these guidelines will help you find the right cancer care treatment center. Finding the right one is necessary for you to get the best treatment for your cancer, and have the best emergency medical care.
