Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Cancer Patient and Visitor Resources

Appointment New Patient Appointment or 214-645-8300

Appointment New Patient Appointment or 214-645-8300

Group of patients talking

At UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, we want patients and visitors to feel as comfortable as possible prior to their first visit. The information below will help familiarize you with Simmons Cancer Center and answer common questions we hear from new patients. Our teams are available to answer any other questions you may have.

Simmons Cancer Center ranks as one of the world’s premier institutions for cancer patient care, research, and education. We are the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in North Texas.

  1. Where to Start
  2. First Appointment
  3. Clinical Care Team
  4. Acute Care Clinic
  5. Infusion Clinic
  6. Supportive Care
  7. Locations
  8. Billing
  9. Additional Services

Where To Start

The HOPE Line (214-645-4673) is our primary phone number. Call it to reach your clinic or provider, to schedule or cancel appointments, and to get answers to questions about any of our services.

Our teams are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and our answering service will assist you after hours and on weekends. In an emergency, please call 911.

MyChart

Download the MyChart app or visit mychart.utsouthwestern.edu to create an account with our electronic patient portal. You can use the portal to make appointments and contact your providers with non-urgent matters, among other tasks.

Preparing for Your First Appointment

There are often many preparations to be made ahead of a first appointment, and we will work with you to ensure you are ready. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Confirm the location of your appointment.
  • Allow time for parking.
  • Bring your insurance information and/or a form of payment.
  • Bring a list of your current prescriptions and over-the-counter (nonprescription) medications, vitamins, and supplements, as well as a list of known drug allergies.
  • Feel free to bring someone with you, ask questions, and take notes.
  • If you need language assistance in person, on the phone, or during a video visit, a validated healthcare interpreter can be provided free of charge. Please just let us know.
  • If you need assistance getting out of your car and into the building, please let our valet team know as soon as you arrive.
  • When you enter any of our buildings, Guest and Patient Services representatives will be ready to help with anything you need.

"UT Southwestern is a great place to be where you know you are getting the best possible treatment. From the valet, receptionists, techs, nurses, doctors, it’s all amazing. Over this journey, we’ve never felt like we should go anywhere else."

McCade Miller, patient

Locations

Simmons Cancer Center offers multiple locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, making it more convenient for you to receive the care you need closer to where you work or live.

Cancer Outpatient Building Exterior Render

Cancer Care Outpatient Building (Dallas)

The Cancer Care Outpatient Building provides ample space for multidisciplinary collaboration, along with room for telehealth visits, private treatment areas, genetic counseling, physical therapy, supportive care, imaging, acute care, clinical trials, an on-site pharmacy, and Guest and Patient Services – all designed to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered cancer care.

Moncrief Cancer Institute exterior

Moncrief Cancer Institute (Fort Worth)

UT Southwestern’s renowned Simmons Cancer Center offers its leading-edge treatment at the Moncrief Cancer Institute in Fort Worth. For decades, Moncrief Cancer Institute has worked to make preventative care and leading-edge cancer treatments accessible to the people in our community who need it most.

Richardson/Plano exterior

Richardson/Plano

The University Hospital Simmons Cancer Center located in the UT Southwestern Medical Center at Richardson/Plano campus offers high-quality, specialized cancer care and general hematology services from a multidisciplinary team of experts.

RedBird exterior

RedBird

Our RedBird regional medical center makes accessing state-of-the-art healthcare at UT Southwestern more convenient than ever for people who live and work in Southwest Dallas County.

Female physician examining male patient

Acute Care Clinic

If you experience a symptom or side effect of cancer that is urgent but not life-threatening, please call the HOPE Line at 214-645-4673 to connect with a member of your care team to assess your situation. If needed, your oncologist can refer you to Simmons Acute Care, located at the Cancer Care Outpatient Building.

Simmons Acute Care offers established patients same-day and next-day appointments to address cancer-related symptoms or treatment side effects. Appointments are by referral only.

Infusion Clinic

Your doctor may order medications given through veins or injections to be received in an infusion clinic. Simmons Cancer Center operates infusion centers at each of our sites, and patients may choose the location that is most convenient for them.

Our infusion centers provide private areas and semiprivate areas. Semiprivate areas are generally used for shorter infusions. All areas feature reclining chairs, free Wi-Fi, and smart TVs.

patient receiving infusion treatment

Safety Reminders

  • Caregiver/friend/family visits: Patients may bring no more than two people with them to appointments. Bringing children under the age of 18 as visitors is strongly discouraged due to infection control concerns and the possibility of a child interfering with patient care. For the safety of our patients and visitors and to ensure that each patient gets the most benefit from every appointment, please make every effort not to bring children to your appointments.
  • Infection control/masking: Visitors should follow guidelines posted in specific areas for the use of gowns, gloves, and masking.
  • Fall prevention: Please let our valet know if you need help entering the building. Bring and use any assistive devices, such as a walker or cane. Always wear comfortable, sturdy shoes to your appointments.

Who Is on Your Clinical Care Team?

At Simmons Cancer Center, your care is a team effort, combining the skills and experience of many healthcare professionals working together. Here are some of the types of specialists you will meet:

  • Medical oncologists – Specialize in cancer treatment using a variety of options, including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy
  • Surgical oncologists – Specialize in cancer treatment through surgical procedures
  • Radiation oncologists – Specialize in radiation therapy, which is the use of high-energy rays to destroy or damage cancer cells
  • Pathologists – Specialize in the study of cells and tissues and will provide input on your disease through tissue samples and bodily fluids
  • Radiologists – Specialize in reading and interpreting medical images, such as X-rays, ultrasounds, computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs)
  • Advanced practice providers (APPs) – Include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinical nurse specialists who have advanced degrees and can diagnose illnesses, develop treatment plans, and prescribe medications
  • Nurses – Provide a wide range of tasks critical to care, including monitoring and educating patients, assessing their needs, and administering medications
  • Medical assistants – Serve as liaisons between patients and medical staff, assisting wherever needed with tasks such as rooming patients, obtaining vital signs, assisting with procedures, and drawing blood
  • Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians – Cancer medication experts who work directly with care teams and supply the medicines needed to treat cancer
provider talking with patient

Supportive Care

From the moment of diagnosis, our comprehensive supportive care team helps you navigate resources and resolve challenges related to cancer from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. Our specialists will work with you throughout the course of your care to identify systems of support for you and your loved ones. This includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual support.

Additional Medical Services

There are many types of treatments and services available to our patients. Not all of them will be needed, but we want you to be aware of them. For example, when appropriate, your provider may refer you for pain management, palliative care, or fertility services, just to name a few. We also want to highlight these important services:

Explore Cancer Patient and Visitor Resources:

Billing

UT Southwestern Medical Center strives to make understanding and paying healthcare bills and filing health insurance claims as easy and efficient as possible. We accept most major medical insurance plans and recommend that patients verify their coverage directly with the clinical practice or hospital where they are being seen. 

Learn more about billing