Personal guide, advocate, educator, friend —The Breast Care Center’s clinical navigator embraces all of these roles and more. As a registered nurse, our clinical navigator can answer questions you may have about your exam or diagnosis. She’s an expert at identifying and tapping resources to support and assist Breast Care Center patients and their families. Our clinical navigator also:

• Coordinates timely movement through all phases of care — prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and supportive care.
• Alleviates anxieties by helping each person navigate the complex healthcare system.
• Ensures women with a suspected or confirmed breast cancer diagnosis receive timely, respectful and compassionate consultations.
• Provides an education/navigation binder that includes all of the patient’s medical records, test results, educational materials, contact information and other documents.
• Counsels children and spouses of patients diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Ensures stressful and time-consuming administrative tasks – including insurance issues – are properly managed.
• Coordinates translation services.
• Connects people with local and national resources.

 

Our clinical navigator can perform a risk analysis at the Breast Care Center and some genetic testing can be done through the Center. Our team also can arrange for a consultation with a genetics expert from the comfort of your home.

 

There are a wide variety of clinical trials in Arizona and across the country. Our team can help cancer patients understand the clinical trials available, how to participate and how participation could affect a patient’s care.

 

Call (928) 771-7577 to schedule an appointment at YRMC’s Breast Care Center.

 

Here’s a general checklist to help you get ready for your exam. You also may receive other instructions for your specific exam or procedure from one of our Breast Care team members.

• Clothing—When you arrive for your appointment, a Breast Care Center volunteer will greet you and may offer you one of our plush robes to wear. You may want a heated blanket or neck cushion during a biopsy. You’ll receive a storage locker to store your clothing in during your visit.
• Medication—Check with your doctor to find out if can take your routine medications before any biopsy.
• Jewelry—It’s best to leave most of your jewelry at home on the day of your appointment.
• Hair Accessories—If you’re undergoing a breast MRI, please remove hair accessories that are made of metal or have metal parts on them before your exam.
• Cosmetics and Deodorant—If you’re having a mammogram, you should not wear perfumes or powdered deodorant on the day of the exam.

 

We’re located at YRMC East. Here’s a map to the Breast Care Center. The Center has its own entrance, lobby and admitting area, which makes the registration process convenient for you.

 

Bring your insurance information and other identification. Also bring your physician test order, if you received one.

 

The Breast Care Center has a comfortable lobby for family members and other companions who may accompany you to the Center. Your husband or male companion may want to visit our comfortable, private “Man Cave.” For meals, snacks or beverages, head to YRMC’s Cafeteria. They also may want to visit the YRMC Gift Shop.

 

All children must be accompanied by an adult at the Breast Care Center. If you need help with childcare during your mammogram, please contact our clinical navigator. Also, during certain times of the year, visits by children may be restricted. You may want to call the hospital in advance to find out if restrictions are in place.

 

Your exam results are shared with your physician. Some physicians and providers have given our clinical navigator permission to speak with you about your results. You may ask about this when you visit the Center. If you have multiple caregivers who you want to receive the results of your exam, we’re glad to provide them the exam results. Speak to our clerical staff about making these arrangements.

 

Don’t be alarmed. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of women are called back for follow-up after their digital mammography screening. Only 1-4 percent of all women screened will actually be diagnosed with breast cancer. If you have more questions, or just want to talk, please contact our clinical navigator.

 

Contact Health Information Management to get copies of your medical records.

 

YRMC’s Patient Financial Services can help with questions regarding your bill.