Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 6/5/2008

Question
I live in New York, and in November of 2007 I was operated on for an Ependymoma in Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in NY.  The Tumor was not malignant, and was then referred to as a Papillary Tumor in the Pineal Area.

I have had two follow-up MRIs at Memorial Sloan, the Radio-Oncologist is Dr. Timothy Chan.

My husband and I will be moving, which is quite upsetting for me, since we will be in South Florida, much further from Memorial Sloan than we could travel.

Questions to the Oncologist were answered a bit vaguely, seems that the best case scenario would be to return to NYC, which I will not be able to do.  

I was operated on less than a year ago & I find that doctors in Florida Hospitals have a policy of not taking on new patients who were recently operated on.

What is generally done for those patients who are moving away from where they are presently being monitored?  God forbid I have a relapse, I would not know who would take care of me.

Could you give insight into a situation such as mine?  

Thank you.

Lynn

Answer
Your question involves local policy knowledge rather than strict medical knowledge. However, I'm a Swede living in Sweden and am completely unfamiliar with local hospital policies in both New York and Florida. I therefore strongly suggest that you direct this question to an American expert here! But I can not refrain from asking: If moving causes you such big problems, then why are you moving?