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M. D.
Anderson Cancer Center requires the following information at the
time of referral:
- Patient's name
- Patient's date of birth
- Patient's telephone number
- Diagnosis
- Date of the diagnosis
- How the diagnosis was made (physical examination, biopsy, other)
- What treatment the patient has had to date
- When this treatment was administered and completed
- Patient's current condition
- Patient's insurance information
- Referring physician's name, office address, telephone number, and fax
number
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- Physicians
may refer patients by Internet or telephone.
Internet
myMDAnderson for Physicians is a new, secure and
personalized Web portal designed to enhance patient referral and
improve communications between external physicians and M. D.
Anderson.
This new Website provides:
- Streamlined patient referral process customized to each
diagnosis
- Tools to track the progress of patients following referral,
including access to transcribed documents
(currently sent by paper mail) and appointment schedules
- Secure messaging to exchange patient-specific information with
M. D. Anderson staff
- Forms for easy updates of physician contact information
- News about selected M. D. Anderson clinical trials
- Access to the Office of Physician Relations and the support
services it offers to community and referring
physicians
- Links to physician-oriented publications such as the online
Guide for Referring Physicians, CancerPro,
and Oncolog.
- Resources from M. D. Anderson’s Research Medical Library
- Updates regarding Continuing Medical Education programs
- Access to the M. D. Anderson Alumni Association
Based on extensive input from external physicians and M. D.
Anderson internal faculty and staff, myMDAnderson for Physicians
has been designed to facilitate access to the best course of
treatment for cancer patients as well as to provide information
and services to support clinical practice. Intended users
include all external physicians who refer patients to M. D.
Anderson or provide follow-up care.
The blueprint for myMDAnderson for Physicians stems from a
similar Web portal offering for
M. D. Anderson patients that allows patients to communicate
directly with physicians and office staff, schedule
appointments, view billing data and more via personal computer.
The patient system has been in place since 2002 and continues to
be expanded.
The pilot will run through spring 2005; full development is
expected throughout the rest of the year. For more information,
contact the Office of Physician Relations at 713.792.2202 or
email physicanrelations@mdanderson.org.
Telephone
To refer patients by phone call: 800.392.1611
Option 1 or 713.792.6161
Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm central time
A Patient Access Specialist in the appropriate Care Center and
under the direction of a registered nurse will answer questions,
collect information, and schedule appointments.
Hospital-to-Hospital Transfers and Emergencies
Hospital-to-hospital transfers and emergency admissions may be
arranged after hours by calling the Transfer Center at
713.563.2222.
Second Opinion Pathology Consultation
Physicians who want a second opinion or reevaluation of tissue
samples should consider
M. D. Anderson’s Department of Pathology. By using its expertise
to diagnose and classify all types of cancer, the department
helps oncologists choose the most effective treatment method for
patients.
The Department of Pathology also operates several diagnostic
facilities, including the Fine-Needle Aspiration Clinic and
specialized laboratories for image analysis, electron
microscopy, diagnostic hybridization, and immunocytochemistry.
Many insurance carriers reimburse the costs of second-opinion
consultations.
Physicians may fill out an on-line consultation form (www.mdanderson.org/2ndOpinion),
or patients can print out the form for their physician to
complete. Send the completed form, consultation fees, materials
to be reviewed, and a copy of the surgical pathology report to:
Outside Slide Consultation
Department of Pathology-Unit 85
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77030
Overnight delivery is preferred. The department will reply in
writing in every case. For more information, call 713.792.3111
(fax 713.745.2745).
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- Medical
and financial eligibility must be established before an appointment
can be confirmed.
Medical Information
All departments request specific medical information prior to
accepting a referral. For some diagnoses, an M. D. Anderson
physician will review pathology reports and other pertinent
information. Pathology slides may be requested and read prior to
scheduling an appointment. One of M. D. Anderson’s physicians
may want to speak with the referring physician directly about
the patient. A Patient Access Specialist familiar with the
scheduling needs for a patient’s cancer diagnosis will collect
the necessary information and assist in the referral process.
Financial Information
Before a patient’s appointment is confirmed, the appropriate
Business Center will collect insurance information, verify
benefits, and seek authorization as required to provide
services. If the patient meets Texas residency requirements but
is uninsured or unable to pay for services, staff will provide
patients with an application for financial assistance. If the
patient’s appointment cannot be confirmed for financial reasons,
the Business Center will notify the referring physician.
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- After
a referral is made, a patient access specialist completes
preregistration by phone and answers patients’ questions.
A Patient Access Specialist will call the patient to complete
the preregistration process, answer questions, and discuss what
to expect on the first visit. The patient may be asked to bring
pathology slides (if they have not been sent ahead), tissue
blocks, x-ray films, scans, or other materials pertaining to his
or her case, and a summary report. If the patient has other
medical problems and is being referred for possible surgery, the
Patient Access Specialist will ask for additional information to
help in the preoperative evaluation. With few exceptions,
patients are seen and evaluated on an outpatient basis.
Sometimes admission is required to treat an emergency. The time
required for a full outpatient evaluation will vary from three
to five working days. This requirement will depend on the amount
of testing and consultation needed to assess the patient’s
condition and recommend a treatment plan. After the patient has
been seen and the evaluation is complete, the referring
physician receives a written report of the findings and
recommendations. M. D. Anderson encourages and supports the
referring physician’s continued participation in every stage of
the patient’s care.
Contact the Office of Physician Relations with any questions,
comments, or concerns:
Email:
physicianrelations@mdanderson.org
Telephone Number: 800.252.0502 or 713.792.2202
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