Learning you have breast cancer can be overwhelming at best with all the many twists and turns a treatment plan can take. To help ease the stress and anxieties such a diagnosis can bring, St. Joseph Medical Center has launched a Breast Navigation Program to centralize and manage care for breast cancer patients.

“We know from research that early detection, diagnosis, and swift intervention are the key to surviving breast cancer,” said Pranam Baweja, program director for the Breast Cancer Navigation Program at St. Joseph Medical Center. “Our goal with this program is to take a multi-disciplinary approach to the disease and provide a centralized point of contact to help a patient navigate an appropriate treatment journey.”

A specialized nurse navigator works closely with a team of specialists, including a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, breast imaging technician, pathologist, surgeon, and plastic surgeon to discuss the options and map out the best path to care for each particular patient. The nurse navigator then becomes the centralized point of contact for the patient every step of the way.

“Instead of specialists coordinating with one another on behalf of a particular patient, the nurse navigator serves as the intermediary, making the process more efficient with the end goal of giving patients the best possible outcome,” said Baweja.

If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, your primary care physician or obstetrician/gynecologist can make a referral directly to the Breast Cancer Navigation Program at St. Joseph Medical Center. From there, a nurse navigator will be in touch with you directly and will serve as your primary contact throughout your entire experience.

For your convenience, St. Joseph’s Medical Center offers an array of breast cancer services, including:

• 3D mammography
• Breast ultrasound
• Biopsies (stereotactic and U/S guided)
• Fine needle aspirations
• Bone density screening
• Medical oncology
• Breast surgery
• Breast reconstruction
• Wound care