Revised January 2011 

We are located on West 10^th Avenue, between Ash Street and Heather Street. An information/reception desk, elevators and a bank machine (cash withdrawals only) are located in the lobby.

600 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4E6
(604) 877-6000
1-800-663-3333 (BC & Yukon, toll free)

Information for Chinese Patients
We have created a guidebook containing useful information for new patients attending the Vancouver Centre.

Other information in this section

• Parking        
• Transportation        
• Cafeteria
• Accommodation
• Restaurants/ amenities
• Financial Information

Your first appointment
Your referring physician will set up a New Patient appointment for you at the Vancouver Centre and will be notified of the time and date of your appointment.

There will be a delay of a few days/weeks between the time of your referral and your appointment, as we need to assess your situation and make sure that you are seen in the appropriate clinic.

There may also be a waiting list, depending on the number of patients that need to be seen, which may delay your appointment even longer and prevent us from giving a definite time and date of your appointment until closer to that time.

To cancel or change your first appointment, call the reception/information desk at (604) 877-6050 or toll free at 1-800-663-3333 local 6050 Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. Be sure to inform staff if the cancellation is due to illness.

To cancel or change any later outpatient appointments, please call the Ambulatory Care Unit at (604) 877-6014 (radiotherapy) or (604) 877-6218 (chemotherapy) or toll free 1-800-663-3333 and ask for Ambulatory Care.

Before Your First Visit
You may receive a telephone call before your first visit asking for information that will help us register you. If you do not receive a call, don't worry, we will talk to you at the time of your appointment.

Please bring the following items with you

• Your Personal Health Care Card              
• All your medications so that the doctor may review them with you              
• The names and telephone numbers (work and home) of two contact people              
• Your health history and any allergies that you may have              
• Any x-rays that you may have been given              
• Any questions you may have (we suggest writing these down)              
• A friend or family member

For your first visit, you will be in the clinic for at least two or three hours. You may find it helpful to bring someone with you for company. They may remain with you during your visit with the doctors and other members of the health care team.

You are also encouraged to bring an interpreter if you need help speaking with the staff, or an interpreter can be requested from the Patient and Family Counselling Department, at (604) 877-6000 local 2194.

Because of the length of your appointment, we also suggest you have a meal before checking in (unless otherwise instructed) and/or bring a snack with you. There is also a cafeteria in the building.

During your first visit
Please come to the reception desk in the lobby at the main entrance. Your registration will be completed at this time, and a volunteer will then escort you to your appointment.

You will meet physicians and oncology nurses in the Ambulatory Care Unit on the second floor. The first person you will meet is the nurse who will explain to you how your time will be spent during your first visit to the centre. You will also be assisted by volunteers who are there to help and support you, and answer any questions you may have.

Your medical history will be discussed and a physical examination will be carried out. When the examination is finished an oncologist (a cancer specialist) will review this information along with your reports and records. The oncologist will then sit down with you and your family members to talk about treatment choices and the plan for your ongoing care.

The oncologist may arrange for blood tests, x-rays, and/or scans. You may have to wait for the results of these tests before the best treatment can be designed for you.

Treatment may include one or more of the following:

• chemotherapy
• hormone therapy
• radiation therapy
• surgery

Treatment does not usually start on the day of your first visit.

At the end of the visit you will be given your next appointment to return to the centre. Sometimes, no further appointment is required and you may be referred to your family physician.

During the Course of Your Treatment
Your family doctor and referring specialist will be sent information regarding your progress.

Please tell the check-in clerk or call Transcription Services at (604) 877-6000 local 2349 to notify us of any changes in your address, phone number or family physician.

During your cancer care at the Vancouver Centre you may receive one of our standard treatments or be asked to participate in a research study (clinical trial). As part of national or international groups we are fortunate to be able to offer some studies which will provide information about the effectiveness of new cancer treatments. If your physician believes that any of the studies would be suitable for your particular cancer you will receive all of the information and be asked to give informed consent to enter the study.

For details about team roles or services, please visit cancer care team and services.