Kristen Hartig, APN

What are some of the specific conditions you treat?

I work within the Valley Medical Oncology Group and treat a variety of patients with different types of cancer. We manage patients through treatments such as chemotherapy, immune therapy, hormonal-based therapy, targeted treatments, etc. We also treat patients with different blood disorders, such as iron deficiency anemia and clotting disorders.

What would you like patients to know about your approach to care?

I believe it is important to care for the whole patient. It is important to me that both patients and their families feel included in the decision-making process, and are allowed time to ask questions.

What inspired you to become a doctor?

From a young age, I was always interested in the medical field, and in high school, I had the opportunity to participate in a new volunteer program that exposed interested students to the medical field, which furthered my interest. While volunteering in the ICU, I developed a strong appreciation for how hard nurses work, and what an integral part of the health care team they are. I ended up going to college for nursing, and after a few years, I started working extra in the outpatient oncology office. Being able to work closely with the doctors and other nurse practitioners then led me to go to school and become a nurse practitioner.