The way our healthcare system is built you go to one doctor who is associated with a healthcare organization and you are referred to all practitioners within the same organization. There is no written rule this is what you have to do. Now there may be financial implications, depending on your insurance, but you have a choice. When we were in the whirlwind of figuring out where to go for treatment I was talking with a close friend about the advantages of staying with a big system known for cancer treatment versus picking our own radiation oncologist and neurooncologist. She looked at me and said, “why not pick your own bench?” I thought about it for a minute and my husband and I both agreed, why not! We did some homework, we talked to people and planned several appointments. Ultimately, some pretty lucky coincidences, helped us find the right team across 3 different organizations. We felt comfortable with the team we assembled and ended up canceling some of those other appointments because we just felt we were with right people. What mattered to us was a team who listened, used a holistic approach, and showed empathy. Finding a medical team who sees you and makes you feel comfortable is so important as you start this journey as the patient or the loved one of the patient.