For Patients

Click here for a glossary of terms related to your cancer care

Nobody does this alone.

The journey through cancer is never easy. But getting the care you need in one place, close to home, can make a world of difference.

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Hearing the words "you have cancer" can be overwhelming. You know your life is going to be very different. And very complicated.

Cancer treatment can involve surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, clinical trials, blood transfusions — and sometimes a combination of many treatments.

You can expect lots of doctors' appointments, diagnostic tests, treatment for the cancer and you may need management for the side effects of the treatment. It can seem like a full-time job for you and your family.

Getting the treatment you need feels better here.

The most advanced cancer treatment with greater convenience, coordination, communication, compassion and more personal attention and support — from people who get to know you and your family — this is what the Southcoast Center for Cancer Care is all about.

Ways we're working to improve your cancer care

• Instead of having your medical records and test results in computers that don't talk to each other, we've developed a system where your medical information and all of your results exist in one electronic file accessible to everyone on your cancer team. This system will become part of cancer care for radiation and medical oncology patients at all of our sites.

• Radiation patients at our Fall River site can simply sign-in for each treatment with the swipe of a personal card that lets our staff know who you are and why you're here. This convenient and time-saving service will become available for medical oncology patients at both our Fairhaven and North Dartmouth sites as well.

• We are building a second comprehensive cancer center in Fairhaven that is scheduled to open in 2011 and will serve the growing number of cancer patients in the greater New Bedford and Wareham areas.

• Helping you navigate: Instead of trying to manage all aspects of your care on your own, we have a Patient Navigator — a "go-to" person to help coordinate appointments, answer questions and point you in the right direction.

• A comprehensive guide: All of our patients receive a 3-ring binder with information on treatments and side effects, appointments, phone numbers, questions to ask and advice that you can add to and personalize.

Your cancer team

We've put together an outstanding cancer team which includes dedicated staff who have been treating cancer patients at Southcoast for decades, and new staff who include top-tier clinicians with a wealth of experience from some of the major academic cancer centers around the country.

During your treatment, you may receive care from our medical or radiation oncologists, who are physicians specializing in cancer care.

Other members of our team include oncology nurses, technologists, pharmacists, social workers and nutritionists.

Our goal is to bring you the best expertise possible right here in our community.

Meet members of our clinical team.