Whether it's navigating treatment options or dealing with insurance issues, managing personal health concerns or those of a loved one can often feel overwhelming. When it comes to breast health and cancer prevention and treatment however, finding a knowledgeable care team can be one of the most empowering decisions one can make.
The Albany Med Health System is leading the way in providing comprehensive breast health services that support and guide patients and their families along every step of their journey. The system offers fully accredited specialized centers for breast care at each of its four hospitals, including Albany Medical Center, Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital, and Columbia Memorial Health (CMH). CMH's new Center for Breast Health, which opened this summer, now offers patients across Columbia and Greene Counties centralized access to a modern and comfortable space for all screening and diagnostic breast health services.
As the only provider of breast cancer screening services in Columbia and Greene Counties—performing approximately 10,000 breast imaging exams each year—breast health has long been a top priority for CMH. By combining screening and diagnostic services and a dedicated team of breast health providers in one location, the new CMH Center for Breast Health is adopting a leading national model of comprehensive and integrated breast care.
"An integrated approach to breast health has been proven to result in better clinical outcomes for patients," says CMH physician and breast health expert Dr. Rakel Astorga. "And the most important element of an integrated breast care program is an early and accurate diagnosis."
State-of-the-Art Services
Patients will find the complete suite of state-of-the-art screening and diagnostic services at the CMH Center for Breast Health, including screening and diagnostic 3D mammography, diagnostic ultrasound, ultrasound guided biopsy, and stereotactic breast biopsy. The center's dedicated team of multidisciplinary, collaborative providers includes a surgical specialist, board-certified radiologist, mammographer, certified technologists, sonographers, and a patient navigator.If an abnormal result is found during a screening, the center's providers work closely to ensure that the whole team is on the same page with regard to treatment. "Our weekly tumor board meeting allows for a real-time multidisciplinary discussion while reviewing the images and the pathology slides," says Dr. Astorga. "A consensus will be reached with every clinical discussion that involves opinions from all the members of the team." In addition to surgical consultations with Dr. Astorga, patients also receive coordinated access to oncology specialists and plastic surgeons at Albany Medical Center and its partners at New York Oncology Hematology in Hudson and Albany.
Education is Empowerment
Education on breast health, consultation on treatment decisions, and support groups for patients and their families is a central feature of the new center. "Education and advocacy are just as important to positive patient outcomes as cutting-edge technology, especially in a field of care as specialized as breast health," Dr. Astorga says.
That's where the role of the patient navigator comes in. As a personal patient advocate, the patient navigator provides support tailored to each patient's needs, including providing education about treatment and care options, addressing insurance problems, serving as a liaison to the health care team, working with family members and caregivers, and mobilizing other resources as needed. The patient navigator also leads support groups and educational programs, which are open to anyone diagnosed with breast cancer as well as their family members.
"This Center stands as an example of how a community can work together to meaningfully improve health care service," says CMH President and Chief Executive Officer Dorothy M. Urschel. "It blends the experience and expertise of our providers with advanced diagnostic technology in a soothing and comfortable environment. It's a significant step forward in our continuous efforts to provide the best care possible for our community."
