What Are the Duties of an Oncologist to a Referred Patient?

Oncology is a branch of medicine that focuses on studying and treating cancer. All oncologists have duties toward their patients. This applies even to referred patients, who may come to an oncologist on the advice of their physician and who may not yet have a confirmed cancer diagnosis. When an oncologist fulfills these duties, he is able to provide better care and to avoid potential legal issues.

Privacy and Confidentiality

• Oncologists, like all doctors, have an obligation to keep the information they have about patients private. They must treat everything the patient tells them as confidential and take steps to ensure that the patient's medical records are not released to a third party without the patient's consent. This is especially important to referred oncology patients because a cancer diagnosis can be so devastating.

Examination and History

• Oncologists are specially trained to recognize the signs of cancer --- this is why general physicians make referrals in the first place. The oncologist has a duty to look for these signs and to treat the referral alone as insufficient evidence of the patient having cancer. They must perform an exam, take a medical history and conduct tests before making any recommendations for cancer treatment.

Information Provision

• Referred patients can be terrified of having cancer confirmed and may not know where to turn. Part of the oncologist's responsibility is to provide information about the exam and tests they will perform on the patient. They also are obligated to provide the referred patient with general cancer information and to tell the patient what treatment options are available should the oncologist confirm cancer is present. Referred patients also should receive data about their specific form of cancer, if found, as well as their odds of survival.