Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center's Breast Health Center: Making Strides in Breast Care
Ogdensburg, NY (PRWEB) July 17, 2014 -- In 2012, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center opened the first breast health center in the region accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. The Center also boasts the designation as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. In addition to providing routine mammography and breast ultrasound, the Breast Health Center includes a multi-disciplinary clinic (MDC) for those diagnosed with breast cancer. The multidisciplinary care approach gives the patient the opinion of a team of specialists working together at one time, assuring them they have explored all of their treatment options.
At the Breast Health Center, the patient is at the center of all care. After a breast cancer diagnosis, the patient’s physician refers them to one of two certified patient navigators at the Breast Health Center. The patient navigator schedules an appointment with the team of specialists in order to allow the surgeon, medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist to meet with the patient all in the same day. The team of physicians answers questions about diagnosis, treatment options, and overall management of breast cancer in order to guide the patients as they make treatment decisions. The patient navigator assists the patient every step of the way and helps patients with a variety of issues, from coping with their diagnosis to financial and insurance concerns. “When I was diagnosed, I felt like I had lost complete control of my life,” explains Cyndi Layng. “It was reassuring to know that the team at the Breast Health Center had my life in their hands and that they would take care of my needs.”
Now, after nearly two years in operation, the Breast Health Center can see the positive effect it has had on patients. “In 2011, our core biopsy rate was 67% of breast biopsies at Claxton-Hepburn,” explains Kay Zimmer, LMSW, CBPN-C, breast patient navigator at the Breast Health Center. She continues, “In 2012, our core biopsy rate rose to 97%. This is a definite improvement because it is a less invasive alternative to an open biopsy.” A core biopsy is a way to obtain breast tissue without surgery, which means less recovery time, pain, scarring, and cost, and is now considered the standard of care for breast biopsies. The procedures are done as an outpatient and usually take less than an hour. Even more importantly, the Breast Health Center is detecting breast cancer earlier. In both 2012 and 2013, 90% of cases diagnosed were early stage breast cancer.
The Breast Health Center was also able to get results quicker. In 2010, it took an average of 5.58 days for the pathology results to be complete after a breast biopsy at Claxton-Hepburn. Since then, from 2011 through 2013 there has been an average of a 56% decrease in the number of days for pathology results to be complete. “With faster turnaround of results, decisions about treatment can occur sooner, lessening patients’ anxiety,” says Kiri Brandy, MD, breast surgeon at Claxton-Hepburn.
Dr. Brandy continues, “Our program starts with excellence with our technology in the radiology department, continues with efficient turnaround in the pathology department and ensures that through the teamwork of specialists we look at every breast cancer individually to guide patients through their diagnosis and treatment needs. I am very proud of the level of achievement our program has attained.”
The Breast Health Center received its certification by meeting the following standards: Interdisciplinary Breast Cancer Conference, Interdisciplinary Patient Management, Patient Navigation, Breast Conservation, Sentinel Node Biopsy, Breast Cancer Surveillance, Support and Rehabilitation, Education, Prevention and Early Detection Programs, and Quality and Outcomes.
In addition to the resources at the Center, the Gouverneur Business Women’s Breast Cancer Walk Fund has been a tremendous source of support for patients. “I know I can count on them to help our breast cancer patients with the cost of travel, co-pays and other emergency expenses that come up during their cancer treatment,” Zimmer explains. The Center also hosts a women’s cancer support group, which meets on the second Tuesday of the month. The group is lead by Zimmer and certified oncology nurse, Amber Langley. “Women find this is a supportive environment where they can talk to other women who are going through similar experiences,” she says. “It validates how they feel and provides support and suggestions for coping with their diagnosis and survivorship.”
Learn more about the multidisciplinary clinic at the Breast Health Center by calling Kay Zimmer at 315-713-6213. For more information about the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center’s Breast Health Center, call 315-394-9663 or visit http://www.claxtonhepburn.org/breasthealth.
Laura Shea, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, http://www.claxtonhepburn.org, +1 (315) 713-5249, [email protected]
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