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In addition to your radiation oncologist, your care team is comprised of a wide variety of interdisciplinary specialists with expertise in their respective fields. The specialists on your care team collaborate to design a treatment plan unique to your needs, ensuring that you receive the highest quality of care and achieve the best possible outcome for your situation. Many of the specialists on your care team have over 20 years’ experience in their respective fields and have made our cancer program one of the most successful in the Bay Area.
Your care team consists of:
Your radiation oncologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the administration and use of radiation for treating a wide variety of cancers. John Muir Health radiation oncologists are board certified by The American Board of Radiology and licensed by the State of California. Your radiation oncologist oversees and monitors your entire course of treatment. Our four board-certified radiation oncologists have over 50 years of combined experience.
From initial consultation to recovery and beyond, your Nurse Navigator is your dedicated, point of contact who will help you and your family coordinate all aspects of your care. Your Nurse Navigator will put you at ease by educating you about all aspects of your treatment, including potential side effects, and help to answer all the questions you may have. Beyond addressing the aspects of your physical well-being, your Nurse Navigator will also help connect you with a wide variety of resources to address your psychosocial needs and quality of life goals. These resources include support groups, survivorship programs, social workers, spiritual support and more.
Under the direction of your radiation oncologist, your radiation therapist delivers your daily radiation treatments. All our radiation therapists have received their training from accredited institutions of radiation oncology. Additionally, all of our radiation therapists are licensed by the State of California and certified by The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, ensuring you the highest standard of care. All therapists on our team have more than 10 years of experience.
Your Dosimetrist is the specialist on your team who uses sophisticated 3D computer modeling software to determine exactly how and where to deliver the radiation dose, in close collaboration with the medical physicist, radiation therapist and radiation oncologist. All of our dosimetrists are licensed by the State of California and board-certified by the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board.
Medical physicists work directly with your radiation oncologist in planning your radiation treatment. They oversee the work of the dosimetrists to ensure that complex treatments are properly tailored for each patient. They are also responsible for quality control programs for radiation oncology equipment and procedures. All of our medical physicists are registered by the State of California and board-certified by the American Board of Radiology.
A social worker is available to provide a variety of support services for you and your family. The social worker plays a valuable role on your care team by evaluating support systems for you, assisting with financial and insurance needs, arranging home health care and transportation services, as well as providing support resources for your caregivers.
The registered dietitian on your care team will work with you to help maintain your weight and health throughout your radiation treatment and beyond. They’ll educate you and provide you with dietary recommendations to optimize your treatment and facilitate your recovery. Each of our registered dietitians has a Master's degree in Nutrition and has completed at least 1,200 hours of training at accredited dietetic internship programs, in addition to passing their national registration exam. They also participate in continuing education to stay updated on the latest developments in nutrition practices. Learn more about our registered dietitian services.
We have pastoral care staff available to provide spiritual support to patients, as well as to their families and loved ones. Learn more about our pastoral care services.