How long is your oncology appointment?

[ASTEPHENS33]

At my friend's last appointment, the oncologist came across as very rushed and seemed somewhat condescending. He was running about three hours, but did not really provide an explanation. This was only a second visit and in sharp contrast to the caring, whatever questions you have approach he exhibited at their first appointment. So obviously it could have just been a bad day for him and future appointments will clarify his interpersonal skill, but it begged the question for us about other people's experiences. In particular, how much time do you usually get with the oncologist when you have an appointment? Do you see an assistant during the appointment time and what is covered by them vs. the oncologist? Do you have a way to contact not just the team, but the oncologist personally between appointments? Anything you think might be interesting would be great to have a post from you. Thanks.

[NWgirl]

I've been seeing the same oncologist for 6 1/2 years. Sometimes he is short and quick - other times he'll easily spend an hour with me talking about all sorts of things. Early on we formed a good doctor/patient relationship and I've been very happy. I figure I never know who he just saw and what he may have had to deal with - and I don't know who's waiting in the next exam room - and what he will be dealing with then. So I give him some slack. But for the most part, he gives me whatever I need. When he's a little rushed, it doesn't bother me. I don't go to a mega cancer center - I'm sure at the big places they have so many more patients that they have to limit their time with each individual person. It's not like that so much where I go.

[ASTEPHENS33]

Good point about the cancer center. My friend is going to an NIH cancer center and the doctor is one of the best in the country. So technically the treatment is good, but its good to also have the interpersonal skill, as you have to feel your doctor is having time for you.

[KWT]

As fast as he can get out the door! I don't think his hand leaves the door handle.

[cptmac]

Longer than I need it to be.... And that is long... Over an hour at times...

I once had 8 double spaced pages of questions to ask him, so my appt took over an hour. He never rushed me. I then decided to have all my appts at 4 PM.. Most times, there was a late chemo patient that he would send the staff home while he took care of the needs. Some nurses stayed on as well.

I also recorded all of my appts.

Sometimes, we closed the place, and I helped him turn off all the lights.

This was at a major cancer center.... So don't judge a book by it's cover.

He called me at home, gave me his home number and his e-mail. He would lecture me on not calling him or bugging him enough, but I did well with my treatment and didn't need to call him.

But, I would e-mail him before my appts to ask for things, like, can we had a vitamin b test... Can we see if I need an updated measles shot.... I need my TDAP shot updated... So he would have that ready for me when I came.

Just like shopping, if you don't like your doc, go find someone who will meet your needs.

[PGLGreg]

After I get to his office, I wait 5-10 minutes to see him. Then it's a fixed routine with him (never an assistant). Weight, blood pressure, stethoscope, palpate lymph nodes, brief history. Maybe 8 minutes. Then to his office for him to review my tests and my folder -- another 10 minutes. It's brisk, but I have his full attention. He tells me how I'm doing, what I should be doing for diet, or whatever. I set up the next appointment with his receptionist, and that's it. Around a half hour in all. These days, I see him once every 6 months.

[JDinNC]

My first meeting was about 10-15 minutes. He introduced himself, told me I was stage 4, I would be doing 6 months of chemo every two week, after that he would see what happens in two years....then he left. No information about cancer or my situation.
My second visit was with his assistant, she was nice but took general information about how I was doing with the chemo.

My third visit was after a PET scan, he said I would be continuing avastin. I asked if I would be continuing chemo also, where he said I wasn't doing chemo. After a few "yes,I am...no, you're not". He left the room came back and said you will be continuing chemo.

My fourth visit was after he took me off oxilphanin (?) and he said I was be continue back on it until April. This was in Feb. and I only had one more treatment to go. I had to tell him that I would be done that month...he seem to not know this.

My next visit is this coming Tuesday. It's my three months follow up after ending chemo. He will be evaluating me but he hasn't seen me in four months. No tests have been order or anything else. So what is he going to tell me. ?

He never walks into the room with my medical folder....which might explain why he doesn't know what's going on with me.

JAN

[PainInTheAss]

I've never felt rushed during an appointment, but I don't know that my onc has ever been three hours behind!

I usually get weighed, etc by a nurse. One appt, his assistant saw me first and asked routine questions, then he came in and it was rather brief but I felt was as long as it needed to be. I got the feeling they were "behind" but nobody told me so. Most appointments are with him and his assistant and she just sits there.

One appointment early on ( the last of the day), he spent well over an hour with me reviewing my petscan. He pulled it up and showed it to me on the computer and we went over all my questions and concerns.

I go to a network of cancer centers who use a computer system to store patient info and files so nothing ever gets lost and my onc always has my latest info at hand. I could see any doc at any of their centers (my rad onc and chemo onc go to different centers) and they can all access this one computer "chart." One chemo appointment, I had a lot of weird side effects and the nurses put in detailed notes. He was able to pull this up on our next appointment and he had a solution that worked. He always looks at my computer file when he sees me (AFTER he talks to me and asks how I'm doing). He's a good onc. I like him and trust him. I think it helps to feel both like and trust.

[orcasres]

A nurse would always take the vitals for each visit. At the first visit, we were trying to determine if I should go ahead with chemo (stage 2A) and it was a long appointment. Because I had to come a long way for my infusions, they always scheduled my doctor visit for the late morning with infusion starting shortly thereafter. We come from a ferry served island so they were always trying to be flexible and understanding if we ran a little late. The rest of the onc visits were pretty much the same; after the nurse took the vitals, we would meet for as long as I needed, but usually it was 15-20 minutes. I never felt rushed. I usually worked off a list of questions. This was not a major cancer center.

Lois

[Deb m]

We travel to a major cancer center, MDA. Our oncologist there always spend at least 45 minuites with us. We have never felt rushed and he answers out questions completely. He and MDA have been great ot us so far!

deb m

[SkiFletch]

I have a private oncologist with nurse practitioner that I see. He actually just expanded his practice to include a second Dr whom I've not met. I usually see either the NP or the onc, and both are very good. 9 times out of 10, they're prompt and spend more than enough time with me. Every now and again, they're really behind, like 2 hours behind. I know exactly why. It's always because there was some kind of emergency in the chemo room that they had to handle. I know because I was one such emergency once having had an allergic reaction to oxali. The nurses told me that when that happens, they just get backed up. Now that I know why, I never complain because I was in those shoes and feel for the person who had the emergency, whomever they are. It would have been nice if they told me that straight up, the first time it happened (before I had my own emergency). I might have had more compassion and less frustration.