Woman's Comprehensive Breast Care

Woman's Hospital and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center have come together to create another first for the Greater Baton Rouge area: Woman's Comprehensive Breast Care, one of the most experienced breast cancer diagnosis and treatment programs in the region.

The association of our two organizations, with a special focus on diagnosing and treating breast cancer, results in a powerful ally for women in their fight against breast cancer. The Comprehensive Breast Care program offers a full range of breast health services with a dedicated patient navigator who steps in to provide guidance, just when women need it most.

Learn more about the advantages this concept offers women - from the point of finding a breast abnormality, to swift diagnosis and a streamlined transition into treatment, to recovery and maintaining personal wellness.

Comprehensive Breast Care Services

The association of Woman's Hospital and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center results in a complete continuum of care for women facing a breast cancer diagnosis. Here’s an overview of the services offered through the Comprehensive Breast Care program:

Screening and diagnostic mammography
Computer-assisted detection
Stereotactic, ultrasound, and MRI guided biopsy capabilities
High resolution breast ultrasound
Breast MRI
Quality assurance program for the radiologists
Multidisciplinary conferences
Patient navigator available onsite
Social services support
Genetic counseling
Nutrition counseling
Surgical program offering lumpectomies, mastectomies, breast reconstruction, sentinel node biopsies
Individualized, comprehensive radiation therapy services
Medical oncology services
Clinical Research
Range of physical therapy services for during and after cancer treatment

Together with the patient's doctor and our team of experts, a dedicated nurse will provide one-on-one guidance—just when its needed most.

A multi-media campaign was launched on July 23, to announce our new Comprehensive Breast Care program in affiliation which was -- another FIRST for Baton Rouge and the surrounding area. This program has been in the planning and development stages for two years, and is now a reality!

Congratulations to each of you who have worked hard on this project -- you are truly making a difference in the lives of women facing breast cancer!

Important -- any calls received regarding this program should be directed to the Breast Center and Sharon McElwain, FNP (our patient navigator) at 231-5689. In addition, a special website has been created which provides in-depth information on the program -- womansbreastcare.org.

Attached are documents that will help each of you more fully understand how important and beneficial this new program is for our patients, and how unique it is for our community! Included are:

1. Press Release -- this provides an overview of the program, and was sent to the media
2. Patient Navigator Flyer -- this flyer provides details on the patient navigator role and the benefits it offers our medical staff
2. FAQs for Employees -- this helps answer questions you may have (but if you have one that's not covered, please let us know)
3. Print Ad -- a copy of the print ad that began running Sunday, July 27 in the Advocate

Look for the campaign elements in the newspaper, on TV, the radio, and outdoor boards throughout the community. We hope this announcement gives you yet one more reason to be proud you work at Woman's Hospital!

Screening colonoscopy now at Woman's!

We are pleased to announce that Woman's Hospital now offers screening colonoscopies and a full range of endoscopy services. The American Cancer Society recommends that women have a screening colonoscopy beginning at age 50. And now, you can have the procedure done at Woman’s Hospital—the only hospital focused on women!

This is a copy of the ad that ran during the month of July and the first week of August.

The GI service line is up and running. All the patients who have used this service were very pleased and the members of their families who were with them said they wanted to come here for their GI procedure as well. Special thanks to: Becky Lyons, Mary Ellen Kelly, Barbara Caruso, Cindy Thomas, Betty Wesley, Janice Johnson and Tom Doiron who helped make this venture a success.

Congratulations!

Patti Vaccaro became a Certified Professional of Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). This designation recognizes professional and academic achievement by individuals in the field of healthcare quality management. The comprehensive body of knowledge includes quality management, quality improvement, case/care/disease/utilization management, and risk management at all employment levels and in all healthcare settings.

The CPHQ program is fully accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies of the National Organization for Competency Assurance in Washington, D.C. It is the only international voluntary certification program in the field of healthcare quality management to achieve this accreditation. There are currently over 7,400 active CPHQs in the United States and worldwide.