Preparing for your visit

You can find more information about your first appointment and first visit to one of our in- or outpatient clinics below.

How should I make an appointment?

Your appointment will be made for you through a referral from your general practitioner or attending specialist (at a different hospital). Once we have received your referral, we will contact you for additional information (such as your contact details, and those of your general practitioner and pharmacy). We will contact you to schedule your appointment or inform you about the time period in which you can schedule the appointment.

Preparing for your first appointment

Please arrive 30 minutes early for your first appointment to complete your registration at the department’s reception desk. We will need to take your picture. Please make sure to bring the following to your first appointment:

  • A valid ID (passport or driver’s license);
  • Your health insurance card;
  • An up-to-date list of your medications;
  • Contact details of your doctor and pharmacy.

If you have previously been to a different specialist or hospital for the same symptoms, please bring your medical history – if not already submitted to us – including all visual materials taken by your referring specialist.

After the registration, you can proceed to your intake with your treatment specialist. He or she will look at your information, ask further questions, and answer any questions you might have. Your specialist will also perform a physical examination and let you know which further tests or examinations need to be completed before you can start your treatment.

What kinds of questions can you expect?

Permission for scientific research

We collect data and body materials from our patients for treatment purposes. Certain data and body materials could be used by our researchers in further scientific cancer research, or to help improve our hospital. You can give us permission or opt out at the reception during registration, so we can make include it in your patient file.

You can find more information on our page about Permission for Scientific Research.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria policy

In accordance with the national policy, the Netherlands Cancer Institute is required to ask you several questions about antibiotic-resistant bacteria when scheduling your first appointment as well as follow-up appointments. We will want to know whether you have been admitted to a hospital abroad, or if you work with pigs or veal calves. If this is the case, we will need to take some control samples.

Request your medical history

In order to give you the best care possible, we might need to request your medical history from a different hospital. The information from your medical history – test results, (radiology) scans, or detailed notes from your attending physicians – can help us develop suitable treatment advice for you. If you do not want to give us permission to request your medical history, you can notify a doctor at our hospital.

Information about your hospital stay

Click here for the flyer 'Information about your admission'

Change or cancel your appointment

If you can’t keep the appointment, or if you have scheduled an appointment at a different hospital, please contact the planning department. They can be contacted on all weekdays between 9:00 and 17:00 at +31(0)20 512 9111.

Preparatory questions

When you visit a specialist, you might face multiple treatments or test options to choose between. Which treatment or test is most suitable for you depends on several factors. It is important to consider them together with your specialist. The following three questions can help you and your specialist decide which testing or treatment plan will be most suitable for you:

  1. What are my options?
  2. What are the possible benefits and harms of those options?
  3. How likely are each of the benefits and harms to happen to me?

You can find out more about these questions on the following website: https://askshareknow.com.au/ask-questions/ask/

Recording the conversation

You will discuss many things during your appointment with a specialist. You might not be able to remember everything. We recommend bringing someone with you to your appointment. You can also record the conversation with your phone. Make sure to tell your specialist about the recording first. If you would rather not record the entire consultation, you can ask your specialist to summarise the conversation afterwards so you can record it. It is not allowed to distribute your recordings or share them in public, such as social media.

Pictures and video recordings are prohibited

You are not allowed to take pictures or record videos at the Netherlands Cancer Institute. You cannot take any pictures or record any videos without the explicit permission of the Netherlands Cancer Institute. You are never allowed to take pictures or record videos of other patients.

Follow-up appointment

You and your specialist will discuss the timeframe for your follow-up appointment at the clinic. The assistant at the clinic can schedule your consultation and any necessary diagnostic examinations for you. You may be scheduled for a phone consultation to discuss your test result(s).

MijnAVL patient portal

MijnAVL is the Netherlands Cancer Institute patient portal. Every patient can access our portal after their registration and first appointment. You can find all relevant patient information, appointments, parts of your medical history, and questionnaires to fill out on MijnAVL. You can log in through DigiD with two-factor authentication/SMS verification enabled. You can find more information about MijnAVL in our flyer.

Login MijnAVL

Registering for a follow-up appointment

Outpatient follow-up registration

You can easily register for your appointment at the clinic though our digital registration terminal. It is also possible to register at the reception desk. They can also help you if you have questions.

You can use the barcode on your appointment card or letter to register for your appointment. If this is your first visit to the Netherlands Cancer Institute, you will need to register at the clinic's reception desk first. After completing your personal details, you will receive your appointment card.

How to register

You can register at the digital registration terminal as follows:

The appointment card or letter you received from us, contains a barcode. You will need this barcode to register at the digital registration terminal.

Please hold the barcode in front of the scanner at the digital registration terminal.

The terminal can identify you through the barcode and will check your personal details.

You will receive one of the following notifications:

The registration process is complete

If your personal data is complete, you have been registered and will see this notification on the screen of the digital registration terminal. You will receive your appointment ticket on which you will find all further appointment details and information about the waiting room you can use.

Important: you are only registered for your next appointment. If you have multiple appointments on the same day, please register before each appointment.

The registration process is not complete, or not in the right area

Your personal data may be incomplete, or you are expected elsewhere. You will see this notification on the screen of the digital registration terminal and will receive a ticket with further instructions.