Newly Diagnosed Patients:

One of the most important decisions you will make is choosing a doctor who specializes in myeloma, called a hematologist-oncologist. He or she will coordinate your care throughout the course of the disease.

There are several ways to go about finding and choosing a hematologist-oncologist. Depending on your health insurance plan, you may need to get a referral from your family doctor, usually referred to as your primary care physician. Usually, your primary care physician will know one or more hematologist-oncologists in your area who specialize in treating multiple myeloma. Or, go directly to your health insurance company and ask them for a list of hematologist-oncologists who are part of your health insurance plan.

In addition, several national groups' websites can provide the names of hematologist-oncologist in your area.

• American Society of Hematology's "Find a Hematologist" helps match patients with doctors who specialize in treating blood cancers.

• Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC), our sister organization, is made up of the nation's top cancer centers specializing in multiple myeloma. Click here to learn more.