Multidisciplinary care
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.
Following the merger of long-time partners, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, the organization was renamed to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that also serves as UW Medicine's cancer program.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is a nationally-ranked hospital with top-ranked specialists by U.S. News & World Report.
