Superior and compassionate breast care with cutting edge technology

Duran visited a number of other imaging centers to get a feel for the ideal workflow that would accommodate the transition from eight analog to four digital mammography machines. “When you reduce your equipment by half while still maintaining your staff, in essence you

have doubled the capacity of the equipment, and you’re able to do more than the combined volume of two centers operating separately,” she says.

Today, two technologists staff each screening room, with each performing 25 to 30 screening studies per day. “It may seem like the patient has less time in the exam room, but by changing patient workflow to improve efficiency, we actually have more time to talk to the patient.” And, says Duran, “we can show patients their images while they are in the room. Some of our more savvy patients know what their images looked like before and can see a real difference, which they find very impressive.”

“Our practice is clinically oriented, and therefore we tend to see a lot more patients for initial evaluations and workups prior to any surgical visit,” notes Dr. Wood. “We also see a large number of diagnostic cases of patients of all ages, from a young 20-year-old woman with a fibroadenoma to an elderly person with a new mass. The benefit of full field digital mammography gives us and our patients the comfort of knowing we have the best available technology to help evaluate their problem.” Of the center’s 25 radiologists, 4 specialize in performing breast imaging. Quite simply, he says, “It’s better for the patients.”

From Screening to Post-op, a One-stop Center

High Resolution took the additional step of providing office hours for breast surgeons so that patients could have most of their diagnostic issues managed in one place. “If a patient is newly diagnosed with breast cancer, the radiologist can set them up for the pre-operative onsite MRI examination as well as for the surgical consultation. At that point, if they need more imaging, which they can get right here – all in one stop,” Duran explains. “We don’t have to print the images, then schedule the patient to see a surgeon on another day. To have access to the latest technology and to get as much care as possible all under the same roof is extremely beneficial for the patient.” The center’s goal is to provide an opportunity for patients with breast cancer to meet with the interdisciplinary team – the radiologist, surgeon and oncologist – to get input from all of the different specialists at the same time. “We’re hoping to offer this in the near future,” she adds.

The team cultivated strong partnerships with referring physicians years before consolidating the imaging centers, and that dedication to customer service serves providers and patients well in the new setting. “We have an excellent working relationship with our referring physicians,” Dr. Wood states. “Our providers are very comfortable with our sending yearly reminder letters to their patients, as well as doing the necessary workup and call backs. We keep them in the loop so that they always know where their patients are in the process and that no patient falls through the cracks. And we save them and the patient from the hassle of multiple incomplete workup reports, recommendations, and subsequent timing delays. We will evaluate and diagnose the patient, proceed with the necessary intervention and post-biopsy consultation.”