For Patients Appointments and Location Conditions and Treatment FAQ First Time Visit for Patients Pet Therapy Treatment Overview What to Expect Your Treatment Team First Time Visit for Patients Home Research Research: Clinical Departments Radiation Oncology: Home Radiation Oncology: Clinical Program > For Patients > First Time Visit For Patients Be Prepared What to do in preparation for your consultation In order to make your consultation with your physician as informative and thorough as possible, the following information will be required: Health insurance identification cards If you belong to an HMO, please bring the authorization form if available or the confirmation number Please come at least half an hour before your scheduled appointment to fill out a medical self-reporting history and physical form, a Health Questionnaire Form, Patient Assessment Form or a Referring Physician Form It is very important that any medical records that are not from UCI facilities such as imaging films/CDs (i.e., MRI/PET or CT), operative reports and pathology slides/reports be available for your physician consult. Please make arrangements to bring these in for your consultation or have them mailed/faxed ahead of time (ATTN: Scheduling Staff) Bring a list of all your medications and list any allergies to medications If you have a pace-maker, please bring in your pace-maker identification card If you speak a foreign language and need a translator, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance, so that we can request an interpreter Prepare a list of questions that you wish to ask the doctor. If you do this in advance, you will be less likely to forget something Below is a list of questions our patients typically ask: What is the purpose of radiation treatment for my type of cancer? How will the radiation therapy be given? What do the treatments feel like? For how many weeks/numbers of treatments will I receive radiation? What are the chances the radiation therapy will work? What are the side effects for my type of cancer treatment? How are the side effects handled? Will I be able to continue my normal daily living activities? Will I need weekly blood tests? What do I do about skin reactions? Can I participate in a clinical trial? What are the benefits and risks? Will I need a special diet for radiation? What is the chance that the cancer will come back if I don't have radiation therapy? Can I still work? Will radiation therapy affect my ability to have children? Will my insurance cover this treatment? If I have questions after today, who can I call to respond? What to expect at the end of your consultation You will receive a general packet of information regarding radiation. You will receive an "After Visit Summary" which summarizes all future plans. After your consultation, our front desk with schedule your next appointment and/or referrals.