Got my surgery done at Scripps in San Diego back in December after being diagnosed in October. Spent weeks trying to figure out where to go and honestly the metrics everyone talks about online don't tell you what actually matters.
Here's what I learned. First thing, ask how many pleural cases they do a year, not just meso in general. Scripps was doing 40-50 a year. That's different from a place doing 5 and calling themselves experienced. Second, find out who your surgeon actually is, not just the center name. My guy was Dr. Richardson, trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering, does this every week. That matters more than the hospital's logo.
Third thing nobody mentions is the follow-up imaging protocol. After surgery you're gonna need CT scans every 8-12 weeks for the first year. Ask them upfront how that works, where you get scanned, do they have their own radiology or are you driving around. I'm in San Diego so Scripps made sense for that reason too.
Fourth, ask about their chemo coordination. Most places will do surgery then send you back to your oncologist for chemo. Some centers have oncologists on staff who know exactly what just happened to your lungs. That's better. They know the surgical approach, the extent of what was removed, the scar tissue you're dealing with.
Fifth, talk to their nurse navigator before you commit. Mine was named Patricia, called me the day after surgery, called me every week during chemo, knew my scan results before I did. That person saves your life in the middle of the night when you're panicking about a weird pain.
I also looked at the VA because of my Camp Lejeune exposure from 1978-1982. VA has good facilities but the wait times killed me. Filed my VA claim in November, still waiting. If I'd waited for them to approve treatment I'd be further along in the disease. Private center got me in within two weeks of diagnosis.
Last thing, ask about clinical trials. Good centers will have options. Bad ones won't even mention them. Scripps had three different trials I could've done. Didn't do one because my stage and imaging didn't fit, but knowing they had them told me they're staying current.
Don't pick based on rankings or what some website says. Pick based on surgeon experience, volume, your follow-up logistics, and their chemo team. That's it.