Your First Visit

How to Schedule Your First Appointment

If you’re making your own appointment, have your health insurance provider information handy, along with the name, address and phone number of your primary care physician or the physician who referred you.

To schedule your appointment, call 913.588.1227 or 800.332.6048 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

What to Expect During Your First Visit

For your first visit, we ask that you arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment to complete any additional forms we may need. You can save time by printing out and completing the Medical History Questionnaire to bring with you.

A health care technician (HCT) will weigh you and take your blood pressure, pulse and temperature. You and the HCT will review your reason for the visit, any symptoms you have and your medications. The HCT will record this information in our electronic medical record (EMR).

Our EMR provides a fully computerized way to monitor your care, including your physician’s exam notes, results of tests and procedures, and medications.

You and your oncologist (a physician who is specially trained to treat cancer) will then meet and discuss your symptoms and concerns. After conducting a physical exam, the oncologist may recommend additional tests, treatments and any available alternatives.

If additional testing is recommended, most procedures can be performed the same day of your visit, or within a day or two. If we are conducting a clinical trial that may be beneficial to you, your oncologist may discuss it with you.

After your visit, your oncologist will communicate with your primary care physician and any other health care provider who is involved in your care. The oncologist or nurse will contact you about the results of any tests that we perform.

If you need treatments, your nurse will schedule them, review any medications in detail and answer your questions.

What to Bring with You

You’ll need to bring all relevant medical records to your first visit, including X-ray films, results, reports and pathology slides from health care providers other than The University of Kansas Hospital. You may be required to authorize the release of some information. Your referring physician may fax this information to us at 913.588.7799. Or mail it to:

The University of Kansas Hospital
5799 Broadmoor, Suite 540
Cancer Center Scheduling
Mail Stop 4025
Mission, KS 66202 

Other documents to bring include:

• List of current medications
• Medical insurance cards
• Personal identification (current driver's license, state ID, or an envelope showing your present, permanent address)
• Insurance referral from your primary care physician (If your insurance company requires one).Your physician's office may fax it to 913.945.5626. For pediatric patients, fax to 913.588.6344.
• Medical History Questionnaire
  

• Bring someone with you who can listen and take notes for you. It’s hard to remember everything your cancer team tells you, so having someone listening with you will help ensure you don’t overlook or forget anything. Or, bring a tape recorder.
• At your first visit you’ll receive a Cancer Journey Notebook; bring it with you every time. In it you can keep track of appointments, pathology reports and scans, and important numbers and insurance billing information.
• Have a list of questions written down before each visit. If you’re not sure where to start, download a list of questions specific to your cancer type.