Cancer and Blood Diseases Center

Thank you for choosing Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC) for your child’s care. We understand that this can be a stressful time for you and your family. We’re available at any time to answer your questions, offer guidance or provide comfort.

To schedule a new patient appointment, please call 1-888-PEDI-ONC (733-4662). Our new-patient coordinator will contact you by phone within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.

If you know which treatment program you’d like to contact, you may also call the following numbers:                    

• General Oncology: 617-632-5508
• Brain Tumors: 617-632-2680
• Stem Cell Transplant: 617-632-3961
• Survivorship Clinic: 617-632-5124

Becoming a patient, and making your first appointment

We want to make it as easy as possible for your child to become a patient. It’s very important that you complete the following three steps before your child’s first appointment.

Step 1: Connect us with your child’s referring physician

Step 2: Send us your child’s medical materials

Step 3: Obtain insurance/financial clearance

The information below explains why we need this information, as well as how you can complete each step.

Step 1: Connect us with your child’s referring physician

It’s generally helpful to talk with your child’s current doctor before we start collecting the medical materials we will need to evaluate your child. Ask your child’s doctor to call 888-PEDI ONC (733-4662) as soon as the doctor knows you would like to be seen at Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center.

Step 2: Send us your child’s medical materials

We need the most current and comprehensive medical information to make the best treatment decisions. It’s best if we receive the following materials before we schedule your child’s first appointment. Your doctor should be able to help you get these items to us, often within a day or two.

1. Pathology slides

• Preferably glass slides—from initial diagnosis to current date, with written reports.
• Our pathologists review the pathology slides so our doctors can recommend the best treatment.

2. Radiology scans with reports

• Preferably records in CD (compact disk) / DICOM-compatible form. (Your child’s doctor can help determine this.)
• If DICOM CDs cannot be sent, then we can accept hard copy films.
• Please call the Radiology Department where any scans were done and have them sent directly to us.
• Our radiologists review all scans so our doctors can recommend treatment.

3. Medical summary

• Ask your medical provider to fax or mail a complete, one- to two-page medical summary letter.
• The letter should summarize your child’s diagnosis and treatment up to this point and include any questions the provider has regarding treatment options.
• Our doctors will read this summary before seeing your child for the first time.

Please mail, fax or email (scanned documents) to:
Jill Ilie
Pediatric General Oncology New Patient Coordinator
Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center
44 Binney St., SW350
Boston, MA 02115
Email: jill_ilie@dfci.harvard.edu
Phone: 888-PEDI-ONC
Fax: 617-582-7434

Step 3: Obtain insurance/financial clearance

When we schedule your child’s appointment, we also need to verify your insurance. In most cases, financial clearance takes just a few minutes. It can usually be completed while you’re speaking with our new-patient coordinator.

• If there’s a question about possible coverage, our financial counselors will help you get the necessary approvals.
• Our financial counselors are available directly at 617-632-3365, or our new-patient coordinator can transfer you to them.

In the rare cases when insurance coverage is an issue, our team will make every effort to help you get the necessary financial clearance.

For additional information about insurance coverage, please visit our insurance and financial information page.

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