Referrals

BC Cancer provides information and guidance on how to refer a patient to a cancer clinic, service or program.

General guidelines

1Gather patient information

Gather the following information:

full name of patient: surname (legal name), and first and second names (make sure to spell the patient's name properly)
date of birth
permanent address, including postal code
home telephone number
business telephone number
Personal Health Care number
full name of physician(s) involved in the care of the patient (the referring physician, family physician, surgeon); include Medical Services Card number if possible
diagnosis
date, location and type of all relevant operations, pathology, cytology, imaging scans and x-rays (including numbers)

2 Write a referral letter to include the following information:

Patient’s Diagnosis
Reason for this referral request
Are investigations pending for this patient? If so, please detail in your letter or on the referral form.
Is surgery planned for this patient? If so, please detail in your letter or on the referral form.
Please indicate in your letter if you are referring the patient to a particular oncology specialty such as:

Medical Oncology
Radiation Oncology
Gynecological Oncology (Surgeons)
Dermato-Oncology
Surgical Oncology
A specific physician at BC Cancer (provide physician name)
Other (please specify)

3

Gather the required reports

Gather the required reports for the tumour group by choosing from the list below.

These reports are also listed on the main page of each tumour group in the Cancer Management Guidelines.

We require the information from step 1 and the reports at the time of the initial new patient referral.

4

Complete a referral form

Download a referral form and complete it.

Because we would like to complete the referral of your patient on the first contact, we require all specified information in order to proceed with appointment scheduling and treatment plans. You will be asked to call back if the information is incomplete.

Special needs —To provide an individual plan of care we would appreciate "special needs" identified at time of referral e.g., wheelchair, portable oxygen, care aide in attendance.

Translation services — Should your patient have the need for translation service please ask the family or an interpreter to attend the new patient appointment. If the family is unable to provide this service please identify the language spoken.

5

Fax the information to the cancer centre

Please fax all the information to the appropriate cancer centre. See BC Cancer catchment areas to find your cancer centre.

Abbotsford Centre

Fax: 604-675-7204

Phone: 604-851-4732 or 604-851-4737

Centre for the Southern Interior (Kelowna)

Fax: 250-979-4001

Phone: 250-712-3969 or 250-712-3970 or 250-979-6622

Centre for the North (Prince George)

Fax: 250-645-7371

Phone: 250-645-7318 or 250-645-7319

Fraser Valley Centre

Fax: 604-675-7222

Phone: 604-930-4004 or 604-930-4016 or 604-587-4301

Kamloops Clinic

Fax: 250-314-2733

Phone: 250-314-2734

Nanaimo Clinic

Fax: 250-755-7676

Phone: 250-716-7706

Vancouver Centre

Fax: 604-708-2005

Phone: 604-877-6098

Vancouver Island Centre

Fax: 250-519-2001

Phone: 250-519-5585 or 519-5586 or 519-5587

Vernon Clinic

Fax: 250-558-4113

Phone: 250-558-1235

6

Advise your patient of the appointment date and time

We will review the referral information and either give you an appointment date, time and location at the time of the referral or contact you later with the appointment date, time and location.

Once you know the appointment date, time and location, advise your patient of this.

About our referral process

The number of cancer cases diagnosed annually and improved treatment options have led to an increased number of referrals to the Admitting Department of BC Cancer cancer centres.

To cope with this increased demand within allocated resources, we have had to formalize the referral process in a way that is similar to other hospitals. We have done this so that we can provide efficient new patient appointment scheduling and offer treatment plans to the cancer patients of BC as soon as possible.

Under most circumstances, these procedures will be the most simple and efficient way to arrange referral of your patients.

Urgent consultations

If you require urgent consultation because of the patient's acute condition or if unusual aspects of the case could be clarified by direct discussion, you can contact one of the BC Cancer oncologists listed in the Cancer Management Guidelines.

If your patient is acutely ill and needs an urgent consultation, please contact the appropriate radiation or medical oncologist at one of the cancer centres (contact information below).

BC Cancer – Abbotsford

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday: 604-851-4710

Ask to speak to the secretary for medical or radiation oncology

Evenings, weekends and statutory holidays: 604-851-4700.

Ask to have the on-call medical or radiation oncologist paged

BC Cancer – Kelowna (Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre)

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday: 250-712-3900 (Please select option 3, then option 1)

Ask to speak to the secretary for medical or radiation oncology

Evenings, weekends and statutory holidays: 250-862-4000 (Kelowna General Hospital switchboard)

Ask to have the on-call medical or radiation oncologist paged

BC Cancer – Prince George

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday: Call the urgent physician line at 250-645-7328

Evenings and weekends: Reach an on-call radiation oncologist through the UHNBC Switchboard by calling 1-250-565-2000

BC Cancer – Surrey

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday: 604-930-2098

Ask to speak to the secretary for medical or radiation oncology

Evenings, weekends and statutory holidays: 604-581-2211 (Surrey Memorial Hospital switchboard)

Ask to have the on-call medical or radiation oncologist paged

BC Cancer – Vancouver

7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday: 604-877-6098

Evenings, weekends and statutory holidays: 604-877-6000

Ask to have the on-call medical or radiation oncologist paged

BC Cancer – Victoria

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday: 250-519-5500

Ask to speak to a secretary for medical or radiation oncology

Evenings, weekends and statutory holidays: 250-370-8000 (Royal Jubilee Hospital switchboard)

Ask to have the on-call medical or radiation oncologist paged

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Provincial Health Services Authority