nurse practitioner vs Oncologist?
 

How often do folks here see an NP vs an Oncologist? Thoughts on the difference?

I see my med. onc. 2x/year. There is the odd time he is out of town, but then I see one of his "team", usually an oncology resident. Nothing against NPs, but when I go for these checkups, I want the onc.
Of course I see my regular GP in between for the regular stuff - ear infection, UTIs, sinuses, now fibromyalgia etc.

all the best
caya

I have all the respect in the world for NPs but never see one in place of my oncologist (every 3 months). Never see one in place of my local physician either.

I did work with a NP for 8 years when I was being diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease and then MS. She helped navigate the difficult road of finding help with an undiagnosed, chronic disease -- finding the right doctors and researching latest treatments.

Since I go in almost every week for Navelbine, it would be impossible for me to see my oncologist every visit. But I see her for most visits (and see the NP when my oncologist is not available). I always make sure I am scheduled to see my oncologist after any scans...I personally just don't think the NP is the right person to initially discuss my test results with.

For those who responded before me, I agree that if you only see your oncologist a couple of times a year, you should see the oncologist and not a NP.

My oncologist and his nurse practicitioner act as a team. I see them both when I go in - every six months now, down from every 4 months. The nurse practicioner gives me the once over, then the oncologist comes in to take another brief look and answer questions. I think of them as a tag team.

I have occasionally seen the NP when I have secondary issues in between Onc visits... UTIs, colds, things that are not imminent. She works in concert with my Onc. She is also a bc survivor, so she is very in tune to the bc patients.

Seeing as I go every 2 weeks, I get to see both...they work together as a team. My onc. is also a breast cancer survivor!

I think the answer likely depends on stage of dx and whether or not one has other chronic conditions.

As a NED stage 1 (T1c) with no other chronic conditions, I stopped seeing any oncology office at 5 years out. I saw my surgeon in Seattle last fall to have my port taken out, which I had kept quite a while because I have never had trastuzumab.

There are no specialists where I live but I can go to Seattle annually for them if I need to. I have been seeing an internist here since diagnosis and my chemotherapy was done at my preference either at his office or at the hospital with no local onc. He stays qualified beyond the level of an internist for emergency medicine and cardiology.

My internist is adding an NP to his practice and I will be seeing her instead of the internist, and I'm fine with seeing the NP.

AlaskaAngel

I still see just my oncologist every 3 weeks when I get my herceptin. We usually chat about what vacation he is going on next. Even when I was going every week, I saw only him. Only once when he was on vacation, did I see the nurse practitioner and she was really quite helpful and provided a lot of information. Even noticed that my oncologist hadn't ordered a MUGA for me on time and so she ordered it. Now there are other oncologists in the practice that have their patients see the NP quite often. Mine just likes to see his patients himself..sherryg

I personally have nothing against a NP...but I only want to see my oncologist. This last year or so they have been trying to force me to see the NP but I won't. I am paying to see a doctor and that's what I expect to see. Especially dealing with stage III, Her2 bc.

Chelee

This NP thing is spreading like a wild fire out of control. I keep hearing more and more about family and friends being seen by NPs rather than by their doctors. This is particularly the case with some of my family who live in Pa., including my mother who has Alzheimer's. I think it stinks.

Also, if a patient is seen by an NP is that reflected in the cost of an office visit, as in less costly?

Joan

I also regularly see my onc. once a month. Occasionally I will see the NP if my onc. is out of town (maybe once a yr or less) and if I have to get in for an extra appointment for some issue & the onc. doesn't have an opening. When I've done that the NP has always conferred with an onc. about my issue before making a decision.

I have never seen an NP, only my oncologist. I go
every three months.
patb