Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is a Hematologist?Seeing a HematologistTests and ProceduresEducation and TrainingFinding a HematologistQuestions to Ask
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is a Hematologist?
Seeing a Hematologist
Tests and Procedures
Education and Training
Finding a Hematologist
Questions to Ask
A hematologist specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the blood. Common blood disorders that a hematologist might be required to diagnose or treat includedifferent types of anemia, bleeding disorders, genetic blood disorders, and blood cancer.
You may be referred to a hematologist for certain blood tests and procedures. You may need to see a specific type of blood specialist called a hematologist-oncologist if you have a suspected or confirmed blood cancer diagnosis.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
A hematologist is a medical specialist trained in blood disorders. Related specialists calledhematopathologistsuse their expertise in blood-related diseases in the lab setting. Hematology is a subspecialty of internal medicine that often overlaps with oncology (the study of cancer).
A hematologist is not the same as an oncologist but can diagnose and treat blood cancer. An oncologist is a specialist in all types of cancer, including blood cancer. A hematologist-oncologist is someone who specializes specifically in cancers of the blood.
A hematologist-oncologist has completed special training to diagnose, treat, and manage a wide range of related blood disorders. These include cancerous and noncancerous disorders that affect the individual components of blood (such aswhite blood cells,red blood cells, orplatelets) or the organs that produce them (including thebone marrowandspleen).
Some hematologists will maintain a split practice, seeing both hematology patients as a specialist and internal medicine patients as aprimary care provider (PCP).
Why You Might Need a Hematologist
Hematologists work directly with patients who have blood-related disorders. If you have been referred to one, it is because a known or suspected disorder is beyond the skills of your primary care provider and you would benefit from an expert whose sole focus is on the blood.
A referral to a hematologist does not necessarily mean that you have cancer. Practically all medical conditions involve hematology to some degree, given thatblood testsare commonly used to diagnose or monitor them.
Conditions and diseases a hematologist may treat, or participate in treating, include:
Not everyone with a blood disorder needs a hematologist. If you have blood in the stool, agastroenterologistmay be more appropriate. The same applies to hemorrhagic infections for which an infectious disease specialist may be better suited.
Von Willebrand disease is the most common bleeding disorder. It prevents blood from clotting properly. People with this disease have nosebleeds,easy bruising, and heavy menstrual bleeding. They also need a longer time than normal for bleeding to stop following injury, surgery, dental work, or childbirth.
In addition to diagnosing a disease, a hematologist will help you to understand the diagnosis, develop an individualized treatment plan, and coordinate treatment.
Common blood tests used to diagnose a disorder may look at the blood as a whole or parts of the blood:
Your treatment may include surgery,transfusions,chemotherapy,radiation therapy, orimmunotherapy, if needed. The procedures that a hematologist performs may include the following:
A hematologist may sometimes function as the lead physician managing a patient’s care (especially those who specialize in pediatric leukemia) or work as part of a team. These teams can includeradiologists,surgeons, radiation oncologists,geneticists,rheumatologists, or other specialists.
Upon completion of the residency, hematologist candidates would undergo two to four years of fellowship to train in a specific subspecialty, such as adult hematology, pediatric hematology/oncology, or hematopathology.
Hematologist-oncologists are specially trained in the use of chemotherapy drugs and othercancer treatmentsfor blood cancers, includingtargeted drugsand immunotherapy agents.
As with any medical practitioner you may be seeing, it is important to verify the provider’s credentials with either the ABIM or ASCP.
How to Find a Hematologist
To find a certified hematologist, ask your primary care provider for a list of referrals, check with your insurance company for in-network options, or use theAmerican Society of Hematology’s online locator.
Questions to Ask Your Hematologist
If you have been referred to a hematologist, it is either because a blood abnormality is at the center of your condition or because you need a medical procedure, such as a stem cell transplant, that would benefit from specialist oversight.
Before meeting with a hematologist for the first time, prepare a list of symptoms that you’ve been experiencing, including how long you’ve had them and their severity. It often helps to keep a symptoms journal to record them so you don’t forget.
You should also prepare a list of any medications you are taking, whether they be pharmaceutical, over-the-counter, herbal, or alternative. Some of these could potentially affect yourblood chemistryor complicate treatment.
It’s important to prepare a list of questions to better understand the nature of your condition and what to expect moving forward. Examples include:
Check with your insurance company to ensure that the hematologist and labs are in-network providers—particularly if you suspect that testing or treatments may be costly or extensive.Out-of-network providersdo not work with your insurance company, and you will be responsible for the full cost of treatment.
A hematologist is meant to collaborate with, and not replace, your primary care physician so that the appropriate care is delivered within the context of your overallhealth. This is especially important if you have multiple chronic conditions, such as diabetes or liver disease, that may impact treatment decisions.
Summary
A hematologist is a highly skilled specialist in blood diseases. A hematologist may further specialize as a hemopathologist, someone who studies blood in a lab setting, or a hematologist-oncologist, someone specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers.
You may be referred to a hematologist if your blood tests indicate an abnormality. There are many common hematology diagnoses that aren’t cancer, such as anemia, DVT, and sickle cell disease. You may also need to see a hematologist for certain treatments like bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
When you see your hematologist, you may need additional tests. Ask your hematologist questions about testing, the results, your condition, and treatment. If you are uncertain about the course of treatment, do not hesitate to seek asecond opinionor ask that your medical information be forwarded to another healthcare provider.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society of Hematology.Blood disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About von Willebrand disease.Masselink LE, Erikson CE, Connell NT, et al.Associations between hematology/oncology fellows' training and mentorship experiences and hematology-only career plans.Blood Adv. 2019;3(21):3278–3286. doi:10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000569Additional ReadingMcFarland D, Holland J, Holcombe R.Inpatient hematology-oncology rotation is associated with a decreased interest in pursuing an oncology career among internal medicine residents.J Oncol Prac.2015;11(4):289-95. doi: 10.1200/jop.2015.003798Wallace P, Connell N, Abkowitz J.The role of hematologists in a changing United States health care system.Blood. 2015;125(16):2467-70. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-12-615047
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society of Hematology.Blood disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About von Willebrand disease.Masselink LE, Erikson CE, Connell NT, et al.Associations between hematology/oncology fellows' training and mentorship experiences and hematology-only career plans.Blood Adv. 2019;3(21):3278–3286. doi:10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000569Additional ReadingMcFarland D, Holland J, Holcombe R.Inpatient hematology-oncology rotation is associated with a decreased interest in pursuing an oncology career among internal medicine residents.J Oncol Prac.2015;11(4):289-95. doi: 10.1200/jop.2015.003798Wallace P, Connell N, Abkowitz J.The role of hematologists in a changing United States health care system.Blood. 2015;125(16):2467-70. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-12-615047
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Society of Hematology.Blood disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About von Willebrand disease.Masselink LE, Erikson CE, Connell NT, et al.Associations between hematology/oncology fellows' training and mentorship experiences and hematology-only career plans.Blood Adv. 2019;3(21):3278–3286. doi:10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000569
American Society of Hematology.Blood disorders.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About von Willebrand disease.
Masselink LE, Erikson CE, Connell NT, et al.Associations between hematology/oncology fellows' training and mentorship experiences and hematology-only career plans.Blood Adv. 2019;3(21):3278–3286. doi:10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000569
McFarland D, Holland J, Holcombe R.Inpatient hematology-oncology rotation is associated with a decreased interest in pursuing an oncology career among internal medicine residents.J Oncol Prac.2015;11(4):289-95. doi: 10.1200/jop.2015.003798Wallace P, Connell N, Abkowitz J.The role of hematologists in a changing United States health care system.Blood. 2015;125(16):2467-70. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-12-615047
McFarland D, Holland J, Holcombe R.Inpatient hematology-oncology rotation is associated with a decreased interest in pursuing an oncology career among internal medicine residents.J Oncol Prac.2015;11(4):289-95. doi: 10.1200/jop.2015.003798
Wallace P, Connell N, Abkowitz J.The role of hematologists in a changing United States health care system.Blood. 2015;125(16):2467-70. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-12-615047
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