Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (Oakland)
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Welcome to the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Program at Oakland Kaiser.
Our team is composed of hematologist-oncologists (pediatricians with further training in blood diseases and cancer), nurses, social workers, nutritionists, and patient care coordinators. Each one of us is committed to providing our patients with state of the art care provided in a supportive and nurturing environment.
In the clinic, our team has already done a great deal of work to make sure everything is available for your visit. This may include speaking with your primary care provider and obtaining your medical records prior to your visit. During your clinic visit, you may see a number of clinic staff members in addition to the physician. It is the goal of every member of the team to completely understand the problem which brought you to our clinic, and to provide you with the treatments and information that will bring you back to good health.
Some of our patients will require a stay in our inpatient unit. Your hematologist-oncologist will supervise your care during your inpatient stay. A member of the team will visit you every day to supervise your treatments and answer any questions you might have. He or she will be assisted by the inpatient pediatric care team, which includes doctors with special training taking care of hospitalized children. When you are ready to go home again, any further appointments you might need either with your primary care provider or with the hematology oncology team will be arranged. In addition to our inpatient unit, many of our patients require laboratory and radiologic studies to direct their health care. We work closely with other specialty pediatricians including surgeons, pulmonologists (lung doctors), neurologists (doctors who specialize in problems with the nervous system), cardiologists (heart doctors), gastroenterologists (digestive disorders doctors) and nephrologists (kidney doctors) who may need to assist us in your care.
To continue to provide the very best care for children with cancer, our team participates in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG). This is a nationwide organization that directs the care of children with cancer, using the best tools available. If you have cancer, you may be asked to participate in a national study sponsored by COG. The nature of the study will be explained to you, as well as any risks or benefits that can be expected from participation. Any alternatives to participation will be explained. Your consent will be obtained before you are enrolled on any study. If questions or concerns arise during the study, you will have many opportunities to discuss these with your physician, and of course you can leave the study at any time.
In addition to providing care for children with cancer, our clinic also provides care for children with blood diseases. These may include, for example, sickle cell disease or hemophilia. Our comprehensive sickle cell program provides specialized care for children with this serious blood problem. Children with problems with blood coagulation are followed in our hemophilia program. All members of our team are committed to providing the very best care for children with blood disorders, including state of the art treatment and individualized education and support.
Because of Kaiser Permanent’s commitment to comprehensive care, our team will make every effort to keep your primary care provider informed about your progress. That will facilitate a smooth transition between your specialized care here in our facility and your primary care in your home community.