Dr. Tony Samaha believes that communication is the essence of the doctor-patient relationship. “Sometimes just sitting down and talking to a patient can be extraordinarily helpful. It takes time, but talking to them and letting them get involved is very important. I’ve learned that people really want to hear what you have to say. They feel that what you tell them will change their life. To be a good doctor these days you have to be able to communicate well – it’s that simple.”

As a hematologist-oncologist, Dr. Samaha treats people suffering from blood disorders and cancers such as leukemia. “I believed it was a field that you could really make a difference in. Hematology-oncology is different than any other specialty. I think you are closer to patients in this field than in any other. You not only have to take care of the treatment of their cancer but you also have to take care of their mental health and emotional status too. With all that close contact, you get to know the patients really well.”

Dr. Samaha has seen how new sophisticated treatments have made a big impact for cancer patients. “There was a woman I treated last year that was diagnosed with lung cancer and refused to undergo chemotherapy. She was a non-smoker and was reluctant to undergo any type of treatment. I talked her into taking a new drug that is taken in pill form and after 3 months we did a CAT scan and all of her cancer was gone – we were both amazed. Of course, every patient responds to treatment differently but that’s an indication of how much our cancer treatments have improved.”

As well as working closely with his patients, Dr. Samaha enjoys practicing with his colleagues at Reliant Medical Group. “I really do like the atmosphere here. I was in private practice before I came here and I have really noticed a difference. We have a great group of caring doctors and the degree of professionalism is very high. I really enjoy working here. It’s a great place to practice medicine.”