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One of the first things I did when I moved to Houston in late 2016 was contact MD Anderson. I¡¯ve been in remission from colorectal cancer since 2015, but I wanted to go to the best in the business for my follow-ups. And MD Anderson is considered the nation¡¯s premiere cancer center.

Here are my four favorite things about it.

1.       MyChart accessibility

I handled a lot of my business over the phone while I was still in treatment for colorectal cancer. But now that I¡¯m done with it, I want to be able to access the things I need electronically. , MD Anderson¡¯s secure patient portal, allows me to do that.

MyChart is an amazing tool, because I don¡¯t have to guess at what¡¯s going on. I can see my upcoming appointments at a glance, send a note to my care team or even request a prescription refill. And other types of information ¡ª such as test results or billing summaries ¡ª are all right there at my fingertips. So, I can still feel connected without actually having to be on MD Anderson¡¯s campus.

2.       Warm and efficient people running the Colorectal Center

I¡¯ve had six follow-up appointments with at MD Anderson since moving to Houston. They¡¯ve all gone smoothly. The Colorectal Center runs like a well-oiled machine, and yet it doesn¡¯t seem cold. Everyone is really good at what they do, so they¡¯re very efficient, but still warm and personable. I¡¯ve never once felt like a number instead of a person.

Dr. Kee¡¯s nurse, Ralph Alcid, has also been extremely responsive. Clinical staff have a 72-hour window in which to respond to non-urgent questions through MyChart, but I have yet to wait three days to hear back from him. It¡¯s usually within the hour, but it¡¯s never been more than half a day. And that¡¯s reassuring when you¡¯re trying to follow up or get information.

3.       Educational resources

Because some of my intestines were removed surgically as part of my cancer treatment, anything I eat now gets digested much more quickly. Dr. Kee gave me some really helpful information on how to manage that with over-the-counter medications, as well as the importance of maintaining my health through good nutrition.

He¡¯s also been good about directing me to additional resources, so I can educate myself whenever I want to learn more about a particular topic. Having access to that kind of information is really helpful. It empowers me to live my best life, even when I¡¯m not focused on cancer.

4.       A focus on one goal: ending cancer

I think the biggest difference between MD Anderson and the hospital where I was treated is the atmosphere. People come from all over the world ¡ª not just Houston ¡ª to be treated at MD Anderson. To me, that¡¯s proof of its global reputation. The place where I went for treatment served mostly people from Oklahoma.

It¡¯s also encouraging to know that MD Anderson is focused exclusively on cancer, so everybody there is working toward the same goal. Every time I walk through its doors, the doctors are attentive and the staff is knowledgeable. And they¡¯re all so hopeful! I find that very reassuring.

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