Diagnosis and Treatment Under One Roof: Why It Matters for Skin Cancer

The Problem with Fragmented Skin Cancer Care

For decades, the standard path for a patient with a suspicious skin lesion has followed a predictable and often frustrating sequence. You notice something concerning on your skin. You visit your general practitioner, who examines it briefly and refers you to a dermatologist. Weeks later, you see the dermatologist, who performs a biopsy and sends the sample to an external laboratory. More days pass before results arrive. If the biopsy confirms skin cancer, you receive a referral to a surgeon, where another waiting period begins before the procedure is scheduled. After surgery, yet another lab processes the tissue to confirm clear margins, and the results take additional days.

At each transition point, there is a gap. A gap in time, a gap in communication, and a gap in continuity of care. For the patient, these gaps translate into prolonged uncertainty, repeated explanations of medical history, and the emotional toll of waiting without answers.

This fragmented model was not designed with the patient's wellbeing at its center. It evolved from the way medical specialties developed independently. But when it comes to skin cancer, particularly basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), there is a better way.

What an Integrated Clinic Model Looks Like

An integrated skin cancer clinic brings together every stage of care into a single, coordinated pathway. Rather than shuttling between multiple providers and facilities, the patient receives diagnosis, treatment planning, surgery, pathology, and reconstruction within one practice.

At the Kaplan Dermatology Clinic, this means that when a patient arrives with a suspicious lesion, the journey from initial examination to definitive treatment can happen with remarkable efficiency. Dr. Yehonatan Kaplan, a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon practicing at Assuta Medical Center and Herzliya Medical Center, has built a practice around this principle: the fewer handoffs between providers, the better the experience and the outcome.

In this model, the same physician who examines your skin and performs dermoscopy is the one who biopsies the lesion, interprets the pathology, performs Mohs surgery if needed, and handles the reconstruction. There is no information lost in translation, no duplicated tests, and no unnecessary delays.

The Impact of Delays on Patient Outcomes

Time matters in skin cancer care, though not always in the way patients fear. BCC and SCC are generally slow-growing cancers, and a few weeks rarely change the medical prognosis. However, delays have other consequences that are very real.

First, there is the psychological burden. Research consistently shows that the period between suspecting cancer and receiving a definitive diagnosis is one of the most stressful experiences a patient can endure. Every additional day of waiting amplifies anxiety. When the journey from biopsy to treatment stretches across weeks or months, the emotional cost is substantial.

Second, there are practical considerations. Each separate appointment means time away from work, arranging transportation, and managing family responsibilities. For patients in Israel who may need to travel between cities or coordinate between different health funds and facilities, the logistical burden multiplies.

Third, in certain clinical situations, delays can matter medically. Aggressive subtypes of SCC, tumors in high-risk locations such as the nose, ears, or around the eyes, and lesions in immunocompromised patients all benefit from prompt treatment. A streamlined pathway ensures that patients who need urgent care receive it without bureaucratic obstacles.

Reducing Anxiety Through Coordinated Care

One of the most underappreciated benefits of the integrated clinic model is its effect on patient anxiety. When you know that the physician examining your lesion today is the same specialist who will treat it, there is an immediate sense of being in capable hands. You do not need to worry about whether your referral will go through, whether the next specialist will have your records, or whether you will need to advocate for yourself at each new office.

Patients frequently describe the traditional referral pathway as feeling like they are falling through the cracks. Messages get lost. Appointments are delayed. One specialist says one thing, and the next seems to have a different perspective. The integrated model eliminates these fractures in communication.

At the Kaplan Clinic, Dr. Kaplan personally reviews all diagnostic findings and discusses treatment options directly with each patient. If Mohs surgery is recommended, the patient already knows and trusts the surgeon because it is the same physician who made the diagnosis. This continuity of relationship is profoundly reassuring at a time when patients need reassurance most.

Faster Diagnosis-to-Treatment Time

In the traditional fragmented model, the time from initial biopsy to definitive surgical treatment can range from four to eight weeks or longer, depending on referral wait times, lab turnaround, and surgical scheduling. In an integrated clinic, this timeline is significantly shorter.

With on-site or closely coordinated pathology, biopsy results can be available within days rather than weeks. Treatment planning begins immediately upon diagnosis, and surgery can often be scheduled within one to two weeks. In some cases, same-day biopsy and treatment is possible for straightforward lesions.

This acceleration is not about rushing care. It is about removing unnecessary waiting that serves no medical purpose. Every step happens when it should, without idle gaps caused by administrative processes or fragmented scheduling systems.

How the Kaplan Clinic Provides Integrated Care

Dr. Kaplan's practice at Assuta Medical Center and Herzliya Medical Center is structured to offer patients a seamless experience from the moment they walk through the door.

The process begins with a thorough skin examination, including dermoscopy, which allows for magnified evaluation of suspicious lesions. If a biopsy is indicated, it is performed during that same visit. Pathology results are obtained promptly, and if skin cancer is confirmed, treatment planning begins without delay.

For BCC and SCC, Mohs micrographic surgery is often the gold standard treatment, offering a 99% cure rate for BCC while preserving the maximum amount of healthy tissue. Mohs surgery itself is an inherently integrated procedure, as it combines surgery and pathology in real time. During the procedure, each layer of tissue is examined microscopically before the next is removed, ensuring complete cancer clearance while sparing surrounding skin.

After tumor removal, reconstruction is performed immediately, typically by Dr. Kaplan himself. This means the patient leaves with the cancer fully removed and the wound expertly repaired, all in a single surgical session.

Follow-up care, including wound monitoring and long-term surveillance, continues within the same practice. The patient never needs to start over with a new provider or navigate an unfamiliar system.

The Future of Skin Cancer Care

The integrated clinic model is not a luxury. It represents the direction in which skin cancer care is heading worldwide. Leading dermatologic surgery centers in Europe, Australia, and the United States have adopted integrated care pathways because the evidence supports better outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and more efficient use of healthcare resources.

In Israel, where skin cancer rates are among the highest in the developed world due to intense UV exposure, the need for streamlined care is especially acute. Patients deserve a pathway that respects their time, minimizes their anxiety, and delivers the highest standard of treatment.

If you have been diagnosed with skin cancer or have a suspicious lesion that needs evaluation, consider seeking care from a clinic that offers the full spectrum of services under one roof. The difference in your experience, and potentially in your outcome, can be profound.

Taking the First Step

A skin cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but it does not have to be a fragmented, confusing process. At the Kaplan Dermatology Clinic, every aspect of your care is coordinated by a specialist who is with you from the first examination through treatment and beyond. If you have concerns about a skin lesion, scheduling a full consultation is the most efficient path to clarity and, if needed, definitive treatment.