Specialists from a Wide Range of Areas of Medicine
No Referral Needed
You do not need a referral from your physician to join one of our multidisciplinary programs, and anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer can have a consultation at Fred Hutch.
If you want to learn more about our multidisciplinary programs, contact us and we will match you with the right team.
If you or a loved one have recently been diagnosed with cancer, you are probably here to find out more about Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and decide on the best place to receive treatment.
As you are thinking about your options, it is important to find out each center’s approach to cancer care. At Fred Hutch, we offer multidisciplinary care, which is found at only a few cancer care locations.
“Multidisciplinary” means that specialists from a wide range of areas of medicine come together to discuss your case and decide the best ways to help you. Each member of your Fred Hutch care team adds their own point of view, which helps improve the overall care you receive and can lead to better outcomes.
Our Unique Approach
At Fred Hutch, one of our greatest strengths is our multidisciplinary approach to cancer care. When our cancer care experts — physicians, surgeons, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, registered dietitians and others — work together and combine their shared expertise, it can have many benefits for patients like you, such as:
- Finding the best way to treat you
- Getting better access to a full range of treatment options
- Not having as many appointments
- Making the time from diagnosis to treatment shorter, if possible
- Helping referrals happen faster, if they are needed
“Multidisciplinary clinics have long names and may sound complicated. Importantly, what happens is all the physicians come together to discuss your situation to come up with the best plan for you – and at Fred Hutch, hopefully we do it all on one day!”
— Andrew L. Coveler, MD, Director, Pancreatic Cancer Specialty Clinic
Meetings Help Save Time
The multidisciplinary clinics at Fred Hutch are designed to offer high-quality care and to help save patients time whenever we can by cutting down on the number of appointments at different locations. To make this happen, our specialists meet weekly to discuss and review patient cases. Then they create a treatment plan for the patient together. Often, this collaboration happens even before your first appointment.
About Our Medical Expertise
The medical, radiation and surgical oncologists and care teams at Fred Hutch and UW Medicine have expertise in your exact type of cancer and its treatments, and they work with patients like you every day. All of our physicians are dedicated to the highest-quality patient care, and many of them are known around the world for their contribution to cancer research.
Caring For The Whole Person
Your multidisciplinary team at Fred Hutch makes sure that in addition to being treated for your disease, you also get comprehensive, whole-person care. This means they will provide guidance and support for your emotional, mental and physical well-being, too — like referring you to counseling services, medical nutrition therapy, physical therapy and integrative medicine services if or when you need them. They will also help you find information and services for day-to-day issues like housing, transportation and finances.
Learn more about Supportive Care Services
Multidisciplinary Clinics
Fred Hutch is a multidisciplinary organization, and because of this, all patients receive multidisciplinary care. Whenever possible, Fred Hutch offers a same-day multidisciplinary visit, where you can meet with all the different specialists on your team. This can include a surgeon, a radiation oncologist and/or a medical oncologist, depending on what you need.
Telehealth (virtual) appointments are available at many of our multidisciplinary clinics. Learn more about our multidisciplinary clinics by disease:
Cancer and Organ Transplant Clinic
Another multidisciplinary clinic at Fred Hutch is the Cancer and Organ Transplant Clinic (COTC). This clinic is the first of its kind to offer consulting services for people who are candidates for organ transplant as well as recipients who have cancer.
High-Risk Prevention Clinics
Some people may be at higher risk of developing a certain type of cancer because of a family history of the disease or another reason. At Fred Hutch, our experts create personalized cancer prevention and surveillance (monitoring) plans for people who may be at higher risk for a specific cancer.
Helpful Information for Patients
Telehealth
To help our patients and community stay home and stay safe, our telehealth program provides you with the same high quality oncology care you receive in our clinics from the comfort of your home. Our nationally-recognized cancer care is now available anywhere you are.
Locations
Our patients have several choices on where to receive their care within the Puget Sound area. You can be seen at one of our Fred Hutch clinics or one of our community sites.
Treatments
Each patient is unique and therefore treatment plans will differ from patient to patient. We offer different treatment types, many with the option to participate in a clinical trial. We also offer treatment you may not be able to receive elsewhere such as certain types of cellular immunotherapy treatment.
Providers
At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease.