Your cancer care team

By choosing Aurora Health Care, you gain access to a wide range of expertise, available at clinics across eastern Wisconsin. You also receive personal attention from a team that values your individual needs and works to build a close relationship with you.

Your team offers:

• Proven know-how: All Aurora oncologists (cancer doctors) and many other providers are board-certified. Many doctors have also completed highly specialized fellowship training. And Aurora has one of the country’s largest groups of medical oncologists certified by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
• Collaboration: You have a coordinated team working on your behalf. Your team takes a multidisciplinary approach, with all the specialists you need efficiently coming together for your care. When appropriate, we discuss cases at weekly tumor boards to bring all your providers together in the same room.
• Personal attention: The information and treatment options that come with a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. At Aurora, one cancer doctor leads your care team. You and your loved ones also work with a personal nurse navigator so you never feel lost or alone.

Providing accurate diagnosis & effective treatment

With more than 160 doctors working on cancer care, you get the specialists you need. If you are a good match for a clinical trial and want to pursue one, any Aurora oncologist can enroll you, providing a greater range of options and convenience. Find a doctor.

While the particular doctors you see depend on your needs, your care team may include:

• Medical oncologist or hematologist-oncologist: Medical oncologists diagnose cancer and provide treatments like chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. These doctors specialize in one cancer or a related group of cancers, and a medical oncologist often serves as your lead doctor. If you have a blood cancer, a hematologist-oncologist plays a similar role.
• Gynecologic oncologist: Doctors completing both an obstetrics-gynecology residency and an oncology fellowship care for people with gynecologic cancers. They may give chemotherapy or internal radiation therapy or perform surgery.
• Interventional oncologist: Using imaging to guide them, these doctors perform cancer ablations and other minimally invasive procedures. Interventional oncologists at Aurora are also fellowship-trained.
• Radiation oncologist: These doctors deliver targeted radiation therapy, using the latest tools and techniques.
• Surgical oncologist: Surgical oncologists with fellowship training perform a range of cancer surgeries, including many minimally invasive procedures. Some surgical oncologists are generalists, while others focus on a specific part of the body. Other types of surgeons may also help with your care, including plastic surgeons.
• Pathologist and radiologist: You may not actually meet them, but a pathologist will check any tissue samples we take, while a radiologist will interpret any scans.
• Other specialists: You may need to see doctors with specialties other than cancer, such as a pulmonologist for your lungs or gastroenterologist for your digestive system.

Covering your additional medical needs & services

A range of dedicated, experienced staff help with your medical care:

• Nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs): These clinicians work with your doctors and have completed training in oncology and hematology. They perform exams, order and interpret tests, prescribe drugs and other treatments, and monitor your progress.
• Nurses: Among their many duties, nurses coordinate your care under the direction of your doctor and help with any symptoms or concerns. They also help provide chemotherapy and radiation therapy if you need it. Your chemotherapy and radiation therapy nurses hold special certifications from national quality control groups.
• Medical assistants: Before you see your doctor, a medical assistant escorts you to an exam room, checks your blood pressure, and asks about your current medications and your health.
• Lab staff: The experienced technicians who draw your blood are called phlebotomists. On-site medical technologists can run certain tests, but some tests may be sent to specialty labs.
• Research coordinator: If you participate in a clinical trial, a research coordinator guides you through the process and answers any questions.
• Pharmacists and technicians: Trained technicians working under a licensed pharmacist prepare any intravenous (IV) drug treatment you may need.
• Patient service representatives (PSRs): They make it easy to arrange the care you need. They help you by answering your calls, checking you in at arrival, collecting your initial information and any required copays, and helping you make any additional appointments you may need.

Caring for mind, body & spirit

A number of team members provide cancer support for your mind, body and spirit. They focus on quality of life and ensure you and your loved ones never feel alone or forgotten.

Cancer support includes:

• Chaplains: Our chaplains work with people of all faiths and beliefs. They can provide spiritual support to you and your loved ones, and help you work through emotional and ethical challenges.
• Dietitians: Registered dietitians help you adjust to the nutritional challenges cancer can pose. They craft a personalized diet for you and answer any questions you may have.
• Financial counselors: Our financial experts take the stress out of understanding your insurance, medical costs and payment options. Learn more about help for financial and legal issues.
• Nurse navigator: Your dedicated cancer nurse navigator guides you throughout your care, always ready to address your needs and concerns. Your navigator also discusses all the services available to you and helps arrange any of interest.
• Physical, occupational and speech therapists: Dedicated rehabilitation therapists help you recover after surgery. They also help prevent or treat side effects from other treatments.
• Social workers: Board-certified oncology social workers are a great resource for you and your loved ones. In addition to providing emotional support, they connect you with community resources and answer questions about work, finances and insurance.

Keeping your doctor in the loop

Your primary care doctor remains an active part of your team. We provide regular updates, while encouraging your doctor to participate in your cancer consultations and to continue providing your everyday care.

Find your clinic

With 19 Aurora cancer clinics, you can find top care near you.

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Get the latest updates on cancer care when you read the Aurora Connection newsletter.