Cancer Treatment of America-West

Pros

• Dr Cortis is a wonderful physician.
• The staff are very helpful; the nurses on the third floor were especially helpful.
• There are employees there that are wonderful.
• The doctors are caring and excellent.
• They take their time with you, listen closely and are honored to assist.

Cons

• The front office staff were rude and unhelpful; the office manager never returned calls.
• A prescription refill had to be obtained in person because communication was poor.
• The staff were perceived as prioritizing money over patient care, leaving patients feeling uncared for.
• Since the transition to City of Hope, compassion from clinicians diminished and information from team members was inconsistent.
• Access to doctors was difficult; patients had to insist on seeing a doctor, and wait times were long.
• Financial policies treated patients as self-pay and demanded large upfront amounts, contradicting prior assurances that care wouldn't be denied for payment.
• Postoperative care was chaotic, with long waits for outcomes, lack of surgeon follow-up, missing or ill-fitting compression bras, and unreturned nurse calls.
• There was a sense of unequal access, with a sister for brain cancer being denied in-person evaluation based on records.
• Overall, coordination between departments (e.g., labs and provider visits) was poor, causing redundant check-ins and confusion.

Review

A broad range of experiences comes through in the accounts from patients connected to the cancer facility at 20159 North Scottsdale Road. The group of reviews reflects a transition in the center's identity - from Cancer Treatment Centers of America to City of Hope - and a mix of praise and frustration that varies by department, provider, and episode of care. On one hand, several patients emphasize the compassionate and high-caliber work of their doctors, nurses, and some front-line staff; on the other hand, many describe persistent problems with administration, communication, scheduling, and financial procedures that undermine the patient experience, sometimes in the middle of serious illness.

Several entries center on the front desk and administrative interactions. In these stories, the opening contact with the clinic is described as poorly managed or even rude. A recurring thread is the difficulty in getting routine needs met - such as prescription refills or timely responses to requests - without a direct line to the treating physician. One patient recounts that front office staff were "quite rude," and the office manager, named Jason, never returned calls. The patient and her mother had to drive in to obtain a prescription refill because the office would not respond to messages. In another instance, a patient told a doctor about ongoing issues with the office staff, and the doctor advised reporting experiences with the office manager; yet, Jason remained unavailable, and multiple messages went unanswered. These administrative hurdles forced some patients to relocate medical records to another oncologist, underscoring a perception that the care team was not easily accessible when treatment decisions and continuity were most needed.

At times, patients explicitly contrast caring clinicians with a front-office culture that undermined confidence. Dr. Cortis is described as a physician the patient truly liked, and in some reviews there is gratitude for the clinical care they received. Yet the overall sentiment toward the front-office and the system around it is characterized as lacking, with several patients lamenting the difficulty in contacting physicians or coordinating care through the clinic's processes. The tension between heartfelt medical care and frustrating administrative obstacles appears frequently: the medicine itself is valued, but the pathways to getting it delivered - appointments, test results, and communications - are where problems surface.

Financial and logistical hurdles compound the frustrations. Several comments describe confusing billing practices and insurance issues that shaped a patient's experience of care. One story recounts a Christmas Eve re-diagnosis call that offered options but later led to inconsistent information from a nurse practitioner about test results. Another describes being treated as self-pay because insurance was not on file, with a demand for a substantial upfront payment in order to receive treatment that day - despite later assurances that City of Hope would not turn away patients for lack of payment. The patient emphasized the sting of being told that without immediate payment, care would be delayed, even though the center had previously suggested that financial assistance would mitigate such an outcome. Taken together, these episodes give a sense of a system where financial logistics sometimes overshadow the patient's immediate medical needs.

Despite the negative notes, some reviewers speak warmly of certain staff and clinicians. The nurses on the third floor receive consistent praise for kindness and competence, and some patients credit specific physicians - such as Dr. Ivory and her team - with providing compassionate, attentive care. In these accounts, the human touch remains strong: staff are described as dedicated, supportive, and focused on patients' well-being. Another review notes the presence of staff who were willing to console patients, pray with them, and listen to concerns, and one patient expresses appreciation for the care and empathy shown by the nursing team. These positive voices illustrate that care quality can be high in the right contexts, with personal attention and clinical skill intact.

A recurring theme across the narratives is a sense of churn and coordination challenges after the center's transition from CTCA to City of Hope. Several comments point to a lack of seamless coordination between different parts of the system: scheduling labs before seeing a provider, requiring patients to check in again after lab work, and the overall feeling that "the labs were for the provider appointment" even when the patient remained in the same waiting area. There is a sense that doctors rotate or that consistent, long-term relationships with specific physicians are harder to maintain. Reviewers describe a workload strain that makes it difficult to see a doctor unless the patient insists, and some report that providers seem to prioritize patients with more severe complications or those who are actively in crisis. The impression conveyed is one of better clinical talent in individual providers than a well-integrated, patient-centered care pathway across the system.

In a particularly detailed patient account of a mastectomy, a cluster of concrete operational failures is laid out to illustrate broader systemic issues. The patient describes being left in the waiting room for hours after surgery without notification about the operation's outcome or recovery, and no surgeon conducted timely postoperative follow-up rounds. Additional missteps included not issuing a compression bra at discharge, providing the wrong size, a chest drain pump given without proper instructions and later found to leak, and a delay in return calls from nursing staff. A separate issue involved a IV needle that dislodged painfully and was not addressed promptly. Chart notes from one surgeon were uploaded days after the operation, and post-operative information about immediate expectations was missing, contributing to confusion about follow-up appointments and post-surgical care. Although a later visit did provide a correctly sized compression bra and improved compassionate care, these gaps left the patient with a lingering sense that communication and coordination around major surgery needed substantial improvement. The takeaway for this account is a cautionary note to cancer patients to shop around and compare care experiences before choosing a center for major procedures.

There is also a strongly negative account about equitable access and treatment for a patient with brain cancer. A family member describes submitting medical information with high hopes but receiving a discouraging message that suggested the patient should remain in hospice, even though the patient had not been seen in person. The reviewer frames this as unequal treatment and asserts that the center denied care based on records alone, despite a legal expectation that patients in need of medical help should be evaluated regardless of condition. That account calls for corporate attention from City of Hope's leadership and highlights how access issues and late decisions can devastate families facing serious illness.

Taken together, these reviews paint a complex portrait: moments of exceptional clinical care and genuine compassion exist alongside persistent administrative, logistical, and financial barriers that can frustrate patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. The strongest praise centers on physicians and nurses who listen, explain, and treat with care; the strongest criticisms focus on front-desk management, communication gaps, inconsistent follow-up, and the pressure points of billing and insurance navigation. For anyone considering this facility, the message across the narratives is to be prepared for a mixed experience: you may encounter dedicated clinicians and supportive nursing staff who deliver excellent medical care, but you may also face a system that is overextended, inconsistently coordinated, and difficult to navigate - especially around billing, appointment timing, and post-surgical follow-up. In that context, many reviewers suggest advocating for clear, direct access to treating physicians, persistent follow-up on administrative issues, and, if possible, exploring alternative centers to ensure you receive comprehensive care that aligns with both your medical and logistical needs.

This part of Goodyear, Arizona, offers a variety of amenities and services that may be beneficial for seniors looking to relocate. With close proximity to Western Regional Medical Center and several specialized physicians, including gynecologic oncologists and urologic oncologists, residents have access to quality healthcare options. Additionally, the area features several parks for outdoor activities and relaxation, as well as a selection of restaurants and cafes for dining out. Places of worship are also conveniently located nearby for those seeking spiritual fulfillment. Pharmacies are easily accessible for medication needs, and transportation options such as Phoenix Goodyear Airport provide convenience for travel. Overall, this part of Goodyear provides a range of services and facilities to support a comfortable and fulfilling senior living experience.

Physicians

• Dennis R. Scribner Jr., MD, FACOG, FACS | Gynecologic Oncologist (0 miles)
• Farshid Sadeghi, MD | Urologic Oncologist (0 miles)
• Palm Valley Oral Surgery (0.8 miles)
• Palm Valley Medical (0.9 miles)
• Goodyear Eye Specialist (0.9 miles)
• Abrazo Medical Group (1 miles)
• Arizona Cardiology Group (1 miles)

Hospitals

• Western Regional Medical Center (0 miles)

Parks

• Goodyear Community Park (0.5 miles)
• Rio Paseo Park (2 miles)
• Wildflower Park North (2.5 miles)
• Avondale Friendship Park (2.6 miles)
• Turtle Park (2.8 miles)
• Aleppo Park (3.1 miles)
• Goodyear Dog Park (4.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Wendy's (0.5 miles)
• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (0.6 miles)
• Wildflower (0.6 miles)
• Raul & Theresa's (0.6 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (0.8 miles)
• McDonald's (0.9 miles)
• Bootys Wings Burgers (1.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• Vineyard Christian Fellowship West Valley (0.5 miles)
• St Peter's Episcopal Church (2.3 miles)
• The Rock Church (2.5 miles)
• Church At Litchfield Park (2.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (1.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.3 miles)

Theaters

• Estrella Falls 16 (1.3 miles)

Cafes

• Dutch Bros Coffee (1.6 miles)
• Starbucks (1.7 miles)
• Starbucks (1.9 miles)
• Starbucks (2.1 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (2.2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.9 miles)
• Starbucks (6.6 miles)

Transportation

• Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) (1.7 miles)