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Support Services

At the Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center, we understand patients and their families face many uncertainties when experiencing the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and the challenges of treatment.

Mount Sinai’s Cancer Support Services team plays an important role in helping patients and families get through their cancer journey. Our team members, with the support of your oncologist, combine their expertise, knowledge, and skills to deliver cutting-edge cancer care with compassion.

Psychosocial Oncology Services
Clinical Social Work
Patient Navigation
Nutritional Services
Music Therapy Program
Integrative Therapy Program
Pet Therapy
Additional Oncology Resources

Psychosocial Oncology Services

Mount Sinai’s cancer support team recognizes the need to treat the whole person, not just his or her cancer. Our multidisciplinary team includes licensed clinical psychologists, specially trained in psycho-oncology, who provide emotional support for patients and families during all phases of treatment. We offer bedside (for those in the hospital) or outpatient services. And we make it convenient by coordinating our services with your other appointments at Mount Sinai.

Our services include:

  • Individual, couples, and family therapy to address issues related to cancer
  • Hypnosis, stress-relieving and relaxation techniques
  • Crisis counseling
  • Caregiver support groups
  • Men’s and women’s support groups
  • Bereavement support groups

Clinical Social Work

Our clinical social workers are licensed professional counselors (LCSWs). They assist patients and family members during the entire course of care at Mount Sinai, where they seek to promote optimal psychosocial functioning for you and your caregiver. They can also help make referrals to community agencies, resources, and other programs, depending on your needs.

We can assist you with the following:

  • Advance directives
  • Access to community resources
  • Counseling
  • Disability support
  • Help facing emotional distress
  • Guidance related to financial issues
  • Access to home care needs
  • Housing/lodging
  • Transportation

Patient Navigation

Mount Sinai’s oncology patient navigators help patients and their caregivers overcome barriers during cancer treatment. As circumstances arise, our oncology patient navigators can refer you to the appropriate staff member or department to provide the resources and services you need. We also provide education and support to you, your family, and your caregiver.

We assist patients and their caregivers with the following:

  • Access to and coordination of care
  • Access to and utilization of Mount Sinai’s resources
  • Biomolecular and genetic testing, as well as follow-up of results
  • Personalized patient education based on your care plan
  • Referrals to community resources
  • Referrals to other specialty services

Nutritional Services

Good nutrition is an important component for cancer patients’ health. For this reason, Mount Sinai’s nutrition team works with each patient to prevent malnutrition, maintain a healthy weight, cope with and manage side effects, fight infections, and promote recovery. A well-balanced diet is important to keep your body in good condition. Well-balanced means eating a variety of foods with the nutrients your body needs to stay strong and combat the illness: protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. Nutritional services are included at no additional cost as part of your treatment plan. In addition, we offer complimentary snacks during chemotherapy infusions.

Music Therapy Program

The American Music Therapy Association defines music therapy as “an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals,” and the benefits of music therapy have been well-documented over the years.

The Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center provides music therapy services as part of our patient care, free of charge. Music therapy can be a valuable component of patients’ treatment plans, creating a complementary, holistic, and healing experience for our patients and caregivers alike.

During a music therapy session, participants can:

  • Learn how to incorporate music in their daily life and enhance overall well-being
  • Engage in live music, music-assisted relaxation techniques, and guided imagery
  • Sing, play, or learn a new instrument
  • Write and record a song

The music therapy-based interventions seek to achieve the following:

  • Manage symptoms (nausea, fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression)
  • Provide procedural and treatment support
  • Give individuals a means of self-expression
  • Provide personalized coping skills through music
  • Provide family and caregiver support
  • Enhance quality of life

Integrative Therapy Program

Integrative therapy is a holistic approach to well-being that addresses an individual’s overall health. In concert with Western medicine, integrative therapies nurture the mind, body, and spirit. Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center provides these complementary services as part of our patients’ care, free of charge. The mission of the program is to give patients a one-stop destination for healing and includes the following elements:

Mindful Movement

  • Gentle exercise can help lower tension and increase energy
  • Movement empowers patients to feel at ease and strong in their bodies

Meditation and Breath Awareness

  • Promotes physical and mental relaxation
  • Patients learn strategies to significantly reduce stress during and beyond treatment

Essential Oil Therapy

  • Aromatherapy uses natural essential oils from plants for targeted relief of the symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment

Reiki

  • Reiki therapy, which originated in Japan, is a technique that uses energy to support well-being and healing

Pet Therapy

Research studies have shown that animal-assisted therapy can have remarkable effects on people’s well-being. From lowering blood pressure to decreasing pain and anxiety, pet therapy can be a valuable component to improving cancer patients’ overall psychological health during their journey. At Mount Sinai, our Pet Therapy program relies on certified therapy animals and trained handlers to provide psychosocial support to our cancer community.

Additional Oncology Resources

General Resources

Community Resources

Financial and Co-Pay Assistance

Disability

  • For information on FMLA or short-term or long-term disability through your employer, contact your Human Resources department at work
  • Social Security Disability: ssa.gov, 1.800.772.1213

Help at Home

  • Home health care services may be available through your insurance company. A skilled nursing or physical therapy need is required to access this service. Please speak to your insurance company or physician’s office.
  • Companion/aide services: Few health insurance companies assist with aide/companion services only. They are available if paid for privately. Long-term disability plans also provide assistance per your policy.
  • Cleaning for a Reason: cleaningforareason.org, 1.877.337.3348.

Insurance

Meal Programs

If you are in an area not covered by these agencies, you will be directed to an appropriate resource. Nutrition Resources

  • Environmental Working Group (Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 produce): ewg.org/foodnews
  • Andrew Weil, M.D. (integrative medicine/nutrition): drweil.com
  • Eating Hints (order or view booklet): cancer.gov
  • American Institute of Cancer Research: aicr.org

Transportation

Our Physicians

Kfir Ben David

Kfir Ben-David, MD

Roni Jacobson Endowed Chairman of Surgery

Program Director, General Surgery Residency

  • Cancer
  • General Surgery
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Bariatric
  • Gastroenterology
Mike Cusnir

Mike Cusnir, MD

Chief, Division of Hematology & Oncology

Co-Director, Gastrointestinal Malignancies

Assistant Professor at the Columbia University Division of Hematology/Oncology at Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • Cancer
  • Oncology
  • Medical Oncology
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center (Main Campus)
  • (305) 535-3300
  • Mount Sinai Emergency Center, Physician Offices, Cancer Center and Diagnostic Center Aventura
  • (305) 692-5400
Steven Hochwald

Steven N. Hochwald, MD, MBA, FACS

Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center

Chief of Surgical Oncology

Associate Director of the Mount Sinai-Columbia University affiliation at Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • Surgical Oncology
  • Cancer
  • Esophageal Cancer
  • Gastric Cancer
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Liver Cancer
  • Metastatic Cancer to Liver
  • Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Tumors and Associated Malignancy
Stuart Kaplan

Stuart S Kaplan, MD

Chief, Section of Breast Imaging, Breast Ultrasound and MRI, and Breast Interventional Procedures

  • Cancer
  • Oncology
  • Radiology
  • Breast Imaging
Nicolas Keith Kuritzky

Nicolas Keith Kuritzky, MD

Chief, Division of Radiation Oncology

  • Cancer
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center (Main Campus)
  • 305.535.3400
  • Mount Sinai Emergency Center, Physician Offices, Cancer Center and Diagnostic Center Aventura
  • 305.692.5400
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Akshay Bhadari

Akshay Bhandari, MD

Co-Chief, Columbia University Division of Urology at Mount Sinai Medical Center

Director, Robotic Surgery

Assistant Professor at the Columbia University Division of Urology at Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • Urology
  • Cancer
  • Oncology
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Urologic Oncology
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center (Main Campus)
  • 305.674.2499
  • Mount Sinai Emergency Center, Physician Offices, Cancer Center and Diagnostic Center Aventura
  • 305.692.1080
Alan M Nieder, MD

Alan M Nieder, MD

Co-Chief, Columbia University Division of Urology at Mount Sinai Medical Center

Program Director, Urology Residency Program

Associate Professor at the Columbia University Division of Urology at Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • Urology
  • Cancer
  • Oncology
  • Urologic Oncology
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center (Main Campus)
  • 305.674.2499
  • Mount Sinai Emergency Center, Physician Offices, Cancer Center and Diagnostic Center Aventura
  • 305.692.1080
  • Mount Sinai Specialty Care Key West I Cardiology, Urology & Vascular Care
  • 305.294.8334
Irman Forghani

Irman Forghani, MD, FACMG

Director of Genetics at Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • Medical Genetics
  • Cancer
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