What's Right for You

You are not a statistic: you are unique, and so is your cancer diagnosis. You have preferences, concerns, goals, and motivating factors that are unique to you, and your cancer treatment should reflect that. You should find a hospital that understands and prioritizes that when creating and implementing your cancer treatment plan. 

Things to Consider

While each individual will find more factors more important than others or come up with different ones entirely on their own, here are some things to consider when choosing a hospital for your cancer treatment:

Quality over Quantity

As we've touched on before, statistics don't fully capture the essence of a situation. It's the quality of care you'll receive that truly matters. Remember, you are unique and deserve to be acknowledged as such. When choosing a hospital, consider whether it offers the personalized care you seek. The ideal hospital will see you as a person, not just another medical chart.

At CMN Hospital, our exclusive cancer wing, for the ACT program, emphasizes the quality of your treatment above all. We avoid the revolving door approach to patient care, as we believe in providing time, attention, and compassionate care to each individual on their cancer journey. Our commitment is to foster an environment where you feel truly cared for, an environment that recognizes treating patients en masse doesn't allow for the personalized and compassionate care everyone deserves.

Doctors first, location second

Choosing the right hospital for treatment goes beyond just location; it's about finding the right medical team. Your doctors play a crucial role in your journey, working closely with you to formulate and execute your treatment plan. It's essential to have a team you trust, one that sees you as a priority. The best doctors take the time to listen, ensuring you never feel rushed. Remember, you deserve compassionate care where you always feel supported and heard.

Our doctors excel in creating deep connections with their patients, understanding the complex and significant journey of battling cancer. They approach treatment holistically, targeting the disease on all fronts while supporting your mental and emotional resilience. To them, you're not just a patient, but a unique individual deserving of compassionate and respectful care. Our doctors are committed to being there for you, offering reliability and support even beyond your scheduled appointments or treatments.

Collaboration among doctors across disciplines 

Rarely are cancer patients treated by a singular doctor; rather, they have a team of specialists working with and for them on their cancer journey, many of whom work under different disciplines. As such, when choosing a hospital, it is important to learn about how often the doctors communicate, and the way in which they choose to do so. Do they meet monthly to discuss their individual patients or send frequent emails? Do they wait to talk until a problem arises? This is a major factor to consider, as it can prevent problems in the future due to the doctors of your team being unable to communicate with each other. As such, look for a hospital that makes it a priority and a habit to communicate across disciplines. 

At CMN, our doctors function as a team: not a day goes by that they are not communicating with each other. They do this not because they have to, but because they each enjoy what they do: they have a passion for cancer care and this is translated into their everyday activities. They are deeply engaged in what they do, and this attitude is infectious, which results in a positive work environment that encourages and supports constant communication, effective collaboration, and a team “can do” attitude. 

Pain management and specialists

A major concern that most patients have is how their pain will be managed, or even eradicated through the proper combination of medication and treatments. When choosing a hospital, it is imperative to choose one that makes your pain management their number one priority. You should neverbe in unbearable or exceptional pain during your treatments, and doctors should be mindful of this without you having to ask.  

CMN’s pain doctor, Dr. Octavio Campa, is a leader in pain management and sets the standards high; to learn more about him, and other members of our staff, click here.

Multifaceted approach to treatment

Cancer treatment is not just about focusing on the physical ailments: does this hospital provide treatment that tends to your mental and emotional wellbeing? Choosing a hospital that takes care and consideration for how you are truly feeling mentally, emotionally, and physically – the whole package – will likely be more attentive overall. The right facility will understand that and make effort to address and treat any mental or emotional side effects that you are feeling as you embark on your cancer treatment. This may include having a staff that is eager and willing to listen to you vent, give you a hug, or provide moral support with positive words of encouragement. Find a hospital that will treat you like a well-rounded, multidimensional human being, not just another cancer patient.

CMN stands for compassionate care; as such, we treat patients physically, emotionally, and mentally. We are constantly tending to our patients from the minute they arrive to well beyond after they leave (through check ins and support calls), and we know that the mental ability to fight plays a major role in the cancer battle. To learn about some of the treatments we offer, click here or contact us here. 

Cancer community and support system

Another factor you should consider when choosing a hospital is whether or not there is a community or support system available for you. Are the nurses just there to do their job and then leave, or do they truly care about you? Are they going to bond with you and be your second family? Having the hospital community become a second support system for you can increase your comfort levels, ease your anxiety, and make a major difference in your mental and emotional outlook during treatment.  Further, does the hospital work with your family member to make them feel involved? Finding a hospital that will help your family stay involved in your treatment (such as extending visiting hours if you were getting treatment earlier), or helping them find a nearby hotel to visit, can make a major difference in how comfortable you feel during your stay.

CMN takes purposeful steps to create a cancer community within the hospital: our medical team and staff all have the same core values, the main one being giving you the best, most well-rounded treatment possible. Further, our hospital is designed so that our cancer unit is housed in a designated wing. Our patients are not sprinkled recklessly throughout the hospital; this is done partially to help protect their immune systems, but also to help create a sense of community. You will be surrounded by other patients who are fighting similar battles, and you will be able to bond with them at your choosing (we also respect the privacy of our patients and take steps to ensure each patient is given as much privacy as they desire), helping you to create your own support community while you are staying at the hospital. 

Your faith, trust, and involvement

The underlying principle throughout this blog is you: you are ultimately in charge of your treatment, and that includes choosing a hospital, but more importantly than that, you need to feel in charge of your situation. Whatever hospital you choose, you must put your faith and trust into the institution. The hospital you choose should respect that and reciprocate the feelings by deeply involving you in the process. This means that they should be available to answer any and all of your questions, treat you like family, and make your comfort high on their priority list.

For More Information

CMN Hospital provides exceptional alternative cancer treatment and is available for to communicate with you about coming to our hospital. To contact us, email us at info@cmnact.com or click here for other ways to contact us through your preferred method of communication.