What to Expect: Cancer Care Clinic

We have collected the important information you need to help navigate your time at the Cancer Care Clinic. Here you will find tips on what to bring, who you may meet and what treatments you may receive in clinic.

Arrival and check-in

• Welcome to the reception area. Please check in at the front desk when you arrive. Our receptionist will greet you, answer your questions about your visit and provide you with any special instructions.
• Please show your health card (OHIP) or any other insurance coverage you have.
• Complete the Your Symptoms Matter screening at each visit before you meet with your medical oncologist or oncology nurse.

What to bring

• A list of your current prescription or non-prescription medicines, herbal or vitamin supplements.
• Contact information for your family doctor and specialists you currently see or have seen recently (name, office address and phone number).
• The name, address and phone number of your drug store/pharmacy.
• A notepad and pen to write down what your health care team tells you.
• We welcome you to bring snacks, drinks, and something to pass the time, like a book, or tablet with headphones.
• Please feel free to bring a support person with you, especially for a visit where you anticipate receiving new information.

Your first visit

• You will meet with an oncologist, a physician who specializes in the treatment of cancer, for a consultation. The physician may examine you and talk about your results from other treatments or medical tests. They will explain your treatment options and go through the benefits and side effects of each.
• You may also see a nurse, who will take your blood pressure, heart rate and may measure your height and weight.
• You will receive a start date for your treatment.
• You may meet with other health care professionals such as a dietitian or social worker, depending on your situation.

Treatment day

• You may be asked to complete bloodwork in the specimen collection room, conveniently located within the clinic.
• Your physician may review your blood results with you and will confirm what treatments are needed that day.
• You may receive chemotherapy in the treatment room if that is part of your care plan.
• You can bring one support person with you and they can sit with you during chemotherapy and can accompany you to your other appointments. There is also a food court on the main floor of the hospital if they would like to take a break.
• Your nurse will provide you with any important instructions about how to continue your care at home.

Care team

• The Cancer Care Clinic follows the philosophy of team-based care. This means you will get access to an expert team of specialists tailored to your specific needs. This could include:
  • Medical and surgical oncologists
  • Nurses
  • Pharmacists
  • Social workers
  • Supportive and palliative care physicians
  • Nutritionists
  • Psychiatrists
  • Genetic counsellors
  • Clinical trial teams
  • Medical reimbursement specialists
  • Indigenous patient navigator
  • Volunteers