My oncologist uses a nurse practitioner

My oncologist has a nurse practitioner. She's young. She takes very good care of me and I can talk to her openly. Im more comfortable around her than the Dr.

I understand your concern. For me it depends on the nature of the visit. When I was considering whether surgery was a good option for me, I really wanted to speak with the surgeon who was going to perform my surgery to see what he thought of my case and my prospects for ED or incontinence. Conversely, when my PSA first started rising it was my PA who first identified it as an issue, recommended an MRI, and after the MRI first mentioned going out of town to get a fusion biopsy since it wasn't available in my town. I don't think I could have gotten better advice and care from anyone else, regardless of credentials. Similarly, after surgery my PA has been very helpful and knowledgeable about penile rehab. So for me it very much depends on the person, their knowledge and experience, and the nature of the visit. Best wishes.

None of the oncologist I have worked with have a nurse practitioner handling their patient. In every case, it’s been one on one, me with the oncologist. I don’t have a problem having a video visit, I don’t need to be there in person.

I need to be able to ask Technical questions of my oncologist, and they are questions that a nurse practitioner is probably not trained to respond to.

Sounds like you need another oncologist.

It seems more and more common to see a PA or nurse practitioner than an MD in today’s medical world. My oncologist has nurse practitioner who has a phd in nursing and I feel very comfortable with her knowledge and suggestions. Best of all to you…

I understand your concerns but don’t worry too much, after you see your oncologist and all the treatment decisions are made. You most likely will see the oncologist every so often, the rest it’s just “routine maintenance” My Dr uses a NP, my NP uses a RN and it’s all good, I get a shot I see the Injection Nurse and them visit with the NP and leave, and if I have any concerns after I’m home I call the RN any reactions the NP gets involved and needs to be my oncologist will take over it’s really no need to to see the oncologist every time it’s only one of them and tons of us. However I do have scheduled appointments with the oncologist every few months

Zzotte

Only once. On that occasion, my medical oncologist was doing rounds and was not available to see me. The NP worked out extremely well. She was very knowledgeable and responsive to my questions. No complaints.

@wdene
I think if really depends on seriousness of why you are being seen.

I see PA at Mayo all the time. I have one for ENT, Psychiatric medications, and was seeing one for dermatology but she moved into cosmetic and began seeing a MD ENT.

I see a MD PCP but when he is not available and I need to come in I sometimes see a PA. Most the time a PA will confirm with the MD overseeing them if any questions, etc.

I went through 30 rounds of proton radiation at UFHPTI with MD R/O during treatments, and first year after treatment. I was transferred to PA because was not having any issues and was routine follow ups. The PA is a specific prostate cancer trained PA. If I have any issues at all she will confer with my MD R/O and if I want to see MD I can.

I find PAs at Mayo exellent. It seems they are in specialized areas and become very experienced. I sometimes will see an resident MD and to me the PA has more expereience in most cases. If you have any concern with quality of care from your PA contact your MD.

I know before I met my R/O at UFHPTI I spend at least one hour with his PA. He went over ever conceivable topic, questions, and would print out anything I wanted more information on. Then when I met R/O he said anything dicussed with PA that you need additional information? Then we went over specifics and I was asked if it was covered sufficinenlty by PA and if not please ask now.

So for me I am comfortable with a PA that is specifically trained and experience in the field I am being seen.

In the past I went through three stages in an in-person visit:

1. I see the cancer nurse.
2. I see a resident or intern.
3. I see the lead oncologist.

Each of them passes on info to the next, which makes the best use of the lead oncologist's time.

But that said, I wouldn't not object to seeing a nurse practitioner specialising in oncology if I were long-term stable and didn't need any tests or referrals. I do appreciate the cancer nurses who staff the patient support line at my local (Canadian) cancer centre, who can answer most of my questions without escalating to an oncologist; that way, I can call any day that I have a concern.

That is a relevant question these days. With lack of doctors, it seems all places have Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner on staff. When my local Primary clinic notified me that they had added a PA, I immediately asked if she would be dedicated to less complex cases as she would be unqualified to monitor me....I only see my Primary MD.
I have several complicated health issues so I go to Mayo. In Pulmonology I only see MDs, in Cardiology, training MD and supervising MD. For surgery, before the surgeon, after a NP or PA just for simple checkup of wounds. But for Radiation Oncology things work a little differently, perhaps because most people are just monitored for reoccurrence. Originally, I saw training MD for health review and then treating MD. After the Radiation treatments, I go frequently for CT scan because of remaining cancers eventually to be treated. For the visit there is a PA or NP who tells me the results of the scan (which I have already read) and after the Radiologist comes in and talks to me. I am a complex case, big decision will need to be made, PA/NP not licensed for that. In my case they write up the Notes for MD. I understand the need to optimize the time of the MD, but I have caught mistakes by NP/PAs
I checked how these things get charged to Medicare. Visits are coded based on level of "decision making". PA or NPR visits are coded at lower price.
But we have a shortage of doctors, and medical school is extremely expensive....and clinics push doctors to see a certain number of patients a day... PAs and NP cost less than an MD and they can keep the number of patients high. State law dictates how much they are supposed to be supervised.

My oncologist uses a nurse practiced who has specialized in radiation oncology. She is very smart and has professional answers for me when I ask. She works closely with my oncologist and if there is something that needs further explanation, she confers with my oncologist.