Questions to Ask Your Medical Oncology Colleagues

Communication between the orthopedic surgeon and the medical oncologist can have the utmost ramifications for patients with metastatic disease. Good communication can prevent unnecessary surgery, predict challenges in the perioperative period, and produce optimal outcomes. This chapter is dedicated to identifying questions about the patient, the disease, the treatment, and the logistics of surgery that the orthopedic surgeon can ask the medical oncologist to reduce mistakes and miscommunications. This chapter is a framework for efficient, effective communication between providers that can prevent complications and improve outcomes.