Susan Stinson, MD in Baltimore: Medical Oncologist on the Johns Hopkins Campus

Susan Stinson, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist with a practice centered on inpatient and outpatient solid-tumor care, located within the Johns Hopkins cancer infrastructure in East Baltimore. Her scope includes treatment planning, chemotherapy administration, and follow-up for patients with lung, gastrointestinal, and breast cancers, with availability for new consultations from referring physicians across Maryland.

What This Practice Actually Is

Stinson operates as part of the Johns Hopkins Hospital oncology department, not as an independent private practice. This arrangement means her schedule, billing, and electronic health record integration flow through Johns Hopkins' systems; patients cannot book directly but must be referred by a primary care physician, another specialist, or the Johns Hopkins intake line. She conducts both consultation visits and ongoing treatment within the hospital's infusion and outpatient clinic facilities. The practice is not a separate entity and carries the financial and clinical standards of Johns Hopkins' larger oncology network.

Services and Consultation Process

Initial consultations with Stinson typically involve a 45- to 60-minute appointment covering disease stage, imaging review, treatment options, and prognosis discussion. Johns Hopkins coordinates imaging (CT, PET, MRI) either beforehand or through their own radiology department; patients should expect additional scanning costs if their insurance does not cover the full diagnostic workup. Chemotherapy or other systemic treatments are administered at Johns Hopkins Hospital's outpatient infusion center, usually on a scheduled basis rather than drop-in. Consultations are covered as office visits by most major insurers (Medicare, Aetna, BCBS, UnitedHealthcare), though copays and coinsurance vary by plan; Johns Hopkins financial counseling can estimate out-of-pocket costs before treatment begins.

Treatment costs depend on the regimen. Standard chemotherapy regimens for lung or colorectal cancer typically range from $8,000 to $15,000 per cycle, with insurance covering 60 to 90 percent depending on plan design; newer targeted therapies or immunotherapies can exceed $20,000 per cycle. Patients without insurance can access Johns Hopkins' financial assistance programs through the hospital's charity care office, which offers sliding-scale fees based on household income.

How Stinson Compares to Other Baltimore-Area Oncologists

Baltimore has two major medical oncology landscapes: Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Stinson's main advantage is the Johns Hopkins ecosystem—tumor boards that include surgical and radiation oncology specialists, robust clinical trial access, and integrated radiology and pathology review within one health system. A patient choosing between Stinson and an oncologist at UMMC should consider referral network: if their primary care doctor or initial diagnosis was at Johns Hopkins, staying within that system avoids chart fragmentation and speeds access to multidisciplinary tumor board review. UMMC oncologists may offer shorter appointment wait times (typically 1 to 2 weeks vs. Johns Hopkins' 2 to 4 weeks) and serve patients with established UMMC primary care relationships.

Private practice oncologists in Baltimore are rare; most work within hospital systems. Within Johns Hopkins, Stinson's peer group handles overlapping cancers, so comparing her personally to another Johns Hopkins oncologist requires individual preference based on subspecialty focus or teaching orientation rather than structural difference.

Who This Practice Suits and Who It Doesn't

Stinson is well-suited for patients with solid tumors (lung, gastric, colon, breast) who benefit from Johns Hopkins' multidisciplinary infrastructure, teaching hospital environment, and access to clinical trials. Patients already in Johns Hopkins' network for imaging, surgery, or primary care minimize friction by staying within her system. She is less ideal for patients who prioritize continuity with a single independent provider, need same-day or walk-in availability, or live far from East Baltimore and lack transportation (Johns Hopkins provides some shuttle services for patients; confirmation recommended). Patients with hematologic malignancies (lymphoma, leukemia) may be better served by Johns Hopkins' dedicated hematology-oncology specialists rather than Stinson's solid-tumor focus.

First Visit: What to Expect

Bring pathology reports, prior imaging, and a list of current medications. The Johns Hopkins intake line will schedule a consultation 2 to 4 weeks out and send instructions for pre-visit imaging if not already completed. Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in and insurance verification. The visit itself combines Stinson's assessment with potential involvement of a nurse navigator or social worker for treatment planning and insurance authorization. Allow 90 minutes total (appointment plus administrative time). If chemotherapy is recommended, a second appointment with the infusion center will schedule your first treatment, usually 1 to 2 weeks later.

Hours, Location, and Logistics

Stinson holds clinic within Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287. Clinic hours are typically Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., though specific availability changes seasonally; confirm the current schedule through Johns Hopkins' appointment line at 410-955-5000 (verification: hours and phone numbers subject to change; confirm when scheduling). Parking is available in the Johns Hopkins patient parking garage (near Wolfe Street); daily rates run $5 to $10 depending on validation. Public transit via the MTA Red Line (Howard Street or Lexington Market stops) reaches the hospital complex within walking distance. Telehealth follow-up visits are available for stable patients between in-person appointments.

Stinson's position within Johns Hopkins makes her an essential choice for solid-tumor patients who benefit from coordinated academic cancer care and who have the ability to navigate a large teaching hospital system.