Tall, from your posts, I get the impression that you live somewhere in Southern California. (By the way, thanks for your posts, in large part what makes this Forum exceptional and unique). Anyway, I am wondering that if you do live in the Los Angeles area, if you are familiar with the City of Hope. and if you are, what do you perceive to be their reputation.
jal
Yes, I do live in LA. An institution is only as good as the doctors who work there, so I am more focussed on doctors and what they are working on than the institutions they work at. I've met Tanya Dorff when she was at USC- she is now at COH, and think she is very good.
By coincidence, she was also my MO at Keck and when she moved to COH, I moved with her. I also agree that she is very good and concerned but in this case, it might be the institution. I met with her recently and as is usual, she was running late. I always feel like I am taking another patient's time from him if I ask her the questions that I want answers for, so often I skip them. Totally different from Keck. As we waited for her in the room and as a nurse came in to get my vitals, I mentioned that they seem busy that day and she said something like---its always like this. Then she volunteered that Dr. Dorff had 34 patients that day, 2 scheduled at a time, again as is usual. How do you feel about a doctors having to see 34 patients per day?
Everyone wants to see the big names. Some docs stop taking new patients.
Yes but is it really up to them to say so? I also see the docs at Prostate Oncology Specialists, also big names, totally different there, never seem rushed. Oh well, I shouldn't complain, I have options and great insurance.
You are right.
when she came to COH,she was replacing the SOLE prostate oncologist on their staff who left for another position in west LA. She probqbly inherited a large percentage of his pts. Add to that her pts who followed her from Keck. That's why 34 pts/day. On the other hand,at Prostate Oncology Specialists there are THREE prostate onc specialists that can see you
Precisely. No one is commenting on Dr. Dorff's professionalism and dedication. It just strikes me weird that we have come to accept a norm that requires doctors to see 34 patients per day.
not the norm but COH's priorities in staffing w/only ONE true prostate oncologist.
I know this as a COH pt.
Originally diagnosed there after a 9 month delay and was randomly assigned to one of their several general GU oncologists.
Very nice person but pretty much exclusively a kidney cancer specialist whose knowledge of PCa was no greater than what one could get from a general MO.
When I did asked specific PCa questions,I got oudated or flat-out wrong answers.
Before Dr Dorff came to COH,I CHOSE her (after finally doing my own research on prostate specialists) as a 2nd opinion. And, yes,she spent nearly an hour in a detailed Q&A session w/me,giving detailed answers. So once she came to COH,I switched to her.
She has been found it necessary to start using an NP to see pts,and only has time to drop in at the conclusion of a clinic followup visit.
Doesn't bother me,b/c I am a physician and I've learned a lot over 3 yrs and don't have many questions,but recently when I did,she gave me a well informed answer
As Tall Alle stated,some physicians WON'T take any NEW pts. Specifically at COH when a friend's wife w/breast CA went to COH several years ago,she was able to get to see the principle breast oncologist d/t high risk features who had already stopped accepting new pts. She was told not to expect to be seen precisely at the scheduled time b/c this oncologist insisted on spending as much time w/a pt as that pt needed. Clearly this physician chose,was not "forced",to see LESS than 34 pts/day
TA how can I join your support group?
I live in LA area too!
Just drop in. The second Monday of each month at the Cancer Support Community 1990 S Bundy (entrance to garage on La Grange), 6-8 PM
Dear Tall Allen, we have a cancer support group in Reno. NV. We have not been able to get any of the doctor's, nurse's or psychologists in our community to come talk to our group. Do you have any suggestions to help us make this happen?
I belong to two groups and we never allow outside speakers - that's not the purpose of the group. We provide support to each other. Our groups are moderated by professional psychologists. We get a lot of clinicians asking to speak to us, but we turn down all offers.
At least you have psychologists talking to you. We don't even have that.
The moderator is a psychologist - he sometimes asks probing questions about feelings. He never talks to us. It's mostly discussion among us.
I do not recommend City of Hope Duarte. But again, only as good ad the doctor you find.
I don't want to get in a argument over the quality of Dr.'s at COH but they are highly rated. To each his own.
City of Hope <=== same topic from your post a year ago.... Deja Vu All Over Again...
(pricky pricky pricky - that's me)
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Wednesday 06/12/2019 6:13 PM DST
Duration of ADT until castration resistence
SGTCULLUM
Genetic Testing at City of Hope
The End Of The Fight
