UF Health St. Johns is accredited by the National Accreditation Program
for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College
of Surgeons. NAPBC accreditation challenges breast cancer centers to enhance
the care they provide by addressing patient-centered needs and measuring
the quality of the care they deliver against national standards.
UF Health St. Johns' Breast Health program offers some of the industry's
most advanced early detection technology, including digital mammography,
ultrasound and breast MRI. A comprehensive team of technologists, radiologists
and pathologists work together to identify breast cancer at the earliest
possible stage, including pre-cancerous activity.
Once a diagnosis is made, UF Health St. Johns provides a breast cancer
nurse navigator who is dedicated to providing support, education, and
coordination of services for individuals facing breast disease or breast
cancer. Serving as a resource and advocate, the Nurse Navigator offers
emotional support and helps patients make informed care decisions. The
nurse navigator also provides education to family members and caregivers,
ensuring a holistic approach to the patient's treatment and care. By offering
guidance and assistance, the nurse navigator contributes to improved patient
outcomes and well-being throughout the treatment process.
The UF Health St. Johns breast care program holds regular multidisciplinary
breast cancer conferences where a panel of physicians and other members
of the breast care team gather to discuss individual patient cases, including
reviewing pathology and radiology images. This collaborative approach
enables the development of a personalized treatment plan tailored to each
patient's specific type of cancer, stage of the disease, and overall health,
ensuring comprehensive care from diagnosis to recovery.
UF Health St. Johns' Breast Care program utilizes a multidisciplinary approach
to provide comprehensive care for patients. The program brings together
medical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists,
surgeons, nurse navigators, and other disciplines whose focus is to optimize
patient outcomes and provide a positive healing experience by offering
advanced diagnosis and treatment options, along with the provision of
support groups and wellness offerings.
Early Detection
UF Health Imaging offers 3-D digital mammography, which captures images
of the breast using low doses of radiation.
Our Hologic's Selenia Dimensions (3-D) Digital Mammography Tomosynthesis
System offers the largest field of view available in mammography today,
which means that virtually any woman - from petite to full-figured - can
be scanned in a single exposure per view. During reading, the Radiologist
is able to change the magnification, orientation, brightness, and contrast
of these images.
Services offered by the mammography department include screening and digital
mammograms, as well as needle localizations for breast biopsies.
Breast Cancer Patient Navigation
UF Health St. Johns' patient navigator program has been designed to help
patients move through the process of breast cancer all the way through
diagnosis, surgery, treatment and recovery. Your Navigator will answer
any questions that might arise, discuss test results and recommended treatments,
serve as your advisor and advocate, and help coordinate your personalized
care plan. The importance of this role is best expressed through the words
of a patient."Being away from home was particularly frightening, while also knowing
the serious possibilities that could have occurred. UF Health St. Johns'
navigator was informative, caring, and showed empathy to my situation.
She listened to my fears and helped so much... "
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