Patient Referrals

Secure upload: Secure Portal
Fax: (210) 593-4846
Dedicated referral line: 1 (800) ### ####

Partnering with referring physicians across South Texas

The START Center for Cancer Care has cared for patients across South Texas for more than 40 years. Our physicians and advanced practice providers deliver medical oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, surgery and supportive care across multiple locations in the San Antonio area.

We welcome referrals for new diagnoses, second opinions, transfers of care, benign hematology, genetic risk assessment, and clinical trial evaluation. Our patients have access to coordinated treatment pathways and an active research portfolio while receiving care close to home.

How to refer

Submit securely online. Complete the form below and attach records through our encrypted upload. This is the fastest route and gives you a tracking number for follow-up.

Fax. Send referral materials to (210) 593-4846. Please include a cover sheet with the referring physician name, NPI, and a direct callback number.

Call. Reach our referral coordinators at 1 (800) ### ####, [hours], Monday through Friday.

Urgent referrals. For a patient requiring evaluation within 48 hours, call 1 (800) ### ####. The online portal and fax line are reviewed during business hours only and should not be used for emergent situations. Patients with an acute medical emergency should be directed to the nearest emergency department.

What to send

Complete records let us schedule the right appointment type with the right physician on the first attempt. Please include:

• Demographic and contact information
• Reason for referral and requested urgency
• Pathology reports, including any molecular or next-generation sequencing results
• Recent imaging reports, and PACS access or disc if available
• Procedure and operative reports
• Recent laboratory results, including CBC and CMP

Conditions we treat

Requesting a specific physician

The referral form includes a field for your preferred START physician and for your patient’s preferred location. If your first choice cannot accommodate the requested timeframe, indicating that you will accept an alternate physician allows our coordinators to schedule immediately rather than waiting for a callback. This single field is the most common cause of delay in the referral process.

After you submit

1. A referral coordinator reviews the submission, typically within one business day.
2. We contact your patient directly to schedule and to complete registration.
3. We verify benefits and initiate prior authorization where required.
4. You receive the consultation note following the initial visit.

Please do not send clinical questions or patient identifiers by unsecured email.