Choosing the Right Cancer Specialist, Hospital & Treatment
After a cancer diagnosis, one of the most important decisions you will make is where to receive care — and who will guide your treatment. Not all oncologists, hospitals, or treatment plans are equal, and the differences can significantly impact outcomes.
I work directly with patients and families to evaluate specialists, compare leading cancer centers, and identify the most effective treatment options available — including access to advanced therapies and clinical trials.
Choosing the Right Oncologist and Care Team
Not all oncologists and care teams are equal. Let us help you find the physicians, surgeons, and transplant units that only treat patients and conduct research on your type of cancer. Seeking out experts who see cancer cases like your own every day not only increases your short- and long-term survival rates but also gives you access to the most cutting-edge research and treatments available.
I help you identify physicians and teams that specialize in your exact diagnosis — not just general oncology care.
Selecting the Right Cancer Hospital or Treatment Center
Just because a hospital can treat your cancer does not mean it is a cancer center. Many patients are treated at hospitals that are not specialized for their cancer type — which can limit access to the best outcomes.
There are 72 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers across 36 states that provide second opinions, cutting-edge treatment, trial options, and laboratory and clinical research, many on your type of cancer. Seeking treatment from one of these cancer centers, especially for complex cancer cases, significantly raises your long-term survival rate.
Evaluating Treatment Plans and Clinical Trial Options
I help you understand whether newer or more advanced treatment options may be available beyond your current recommendation.
There are currently ten different ways to treat cancer, and more are being developed and tested in clinical trials every day. However, the most cutting-edge and effective treatments for your type of cancer may not be available to you unless you are at a Cancer Center with an oncologist, oncological surgeon, or transplant unit that can perform that specific surgery/treatment or administer the trial treatment/drug to you. Let us help you explore all the treatment and trial options available to you.
Why These Decisions Matter More Than Most Patients Realize
Many cancer patients assume their initial recommendation is the best or only option. In reality, treatment plans can vary significantly between providers and institutions.
The right specialist, hospital, and treatment strategy can affect:
Access to advanced therapies and clinical trials
Surgical outcomes and complication rates
Long-term survival and quality of life
This is why careful evaluation — and often a second opinion — is critical. If you are still early in your diagnosis, you may want to start with an Initial Cancer Care Evaluation to review your case in detail.
Client Testimonial
Clare is part doctor, part psychologist, and part former patient. She not only quickly read through my condition but proceeded to go through my results and identified THE expert doc to see at Mayo Clinic. She also calmed me down by sourcing multiple studies and reports about the favorable type of MGUS she figured out I had. Her personal experience and connections were invaluable both in expediting my next steps in the hospital world but also in managing my anxiety.
-JD, San Francisco, CA, Age 53
Schedule a call with Clare
Free 30-Minute Cancer Treatment Strategy Consultation
In this call we will review your preliminary cancer diagnosis, what tests and scans you have received, and discuss how we can help you choose the right treatment and medical professionals for you.