Ask CancerCare

There are many reliable sources of information for finding medical professionals or cancer treatment facilities. Professional organizations or associations are a good place to start.

The following resources can help you find information about specific oncologists, specialists, and surgeons:

• The American Society of Clinical Oncology’s website, Cancer.Net, offers a Find an Oncologist database that allows you to search by many different criteria, including area of specialty, board certification, and location.
• The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) offers information about physicians who have additional specialty training and have met certain educational requirements.
• The American College of Surgeons provides information about how to find a qualified surgeon and the different types of surgical specialists.

For information about hospitals, cancer treatment facilities, and surgical centers contact:

• The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) produces quality and safety reports on institutions that can be accessed through a database via their website.
• The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care provides certification to organizations that have met their high standards.
• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) can direct you to NCI-approved cancer treatment facilities.
• MedlinePlus has links to directories to help you find health professionals, services, and facilities.

You can also ask people you trust or other patients about their own experiences with particular physicians or treatment centers. It is important that you find a doctor with whom you feel comfortable since you and your health care team will be working very closely together.