That first moment of learning that your breast imaging picked up something is a moment that patients rarely forget. There are a myriad of emotions, even as you are telling yourself to stay calm because it might be nothing. 

At Saratoga Hospital Center for Breast Care, we understand. That’s why, from the point of that first moment and through every next step in determining your diagnosis and continuum of care, we make sure you are not alone. 

The Center for Breast Care and Women’s Imaging Center coordinate care for patients with our licensed Breast Health Nurse Navigators.  The nurse navigators who are members of the Women’s Imaging Center team will be your point of contact throughout the follow-up imaging and biopsy, if needed, until a diagnosis is made. They will help with scheduling, explain the imaging process and any procedures, and facilitate any referrals needed for treatment. 

Should the diagnosis be cancer, navigation will transition to the Center for Breast Care Nurse Navigator.  This is the nurse navigator who will be with you throughout your cancer journey. She, along with the Center for Breast Care staff, will coordinate and streamline the process so that each individual patient is provided with the specialized, supportive care and attention they deserve.

There are many different pieces in managing breast cancer. Our Breast Health Nurse Navigators are specialists in breast and women's healthcare issues. Your navigator will work with you to schedule your tests and any consultations as quickly as possible, so you never have to worry about “what do I do next?” 

She will explain the tests to you, answer your questions, and guide you through the process. She helps cancer patients understand their treatments, and she evaluates for any impediments to care, such as lack of transportation or financial concerns. She even connects patients with a social worker, if necessary. Every step of the way, she will be your advocate and an unfailing source of support from diagnosis to surgery. She will also help transition you to one of our providers who gives continued support through survivorship. 

The Women’s Imaging Center on our Wilton Campus, which has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology, is welcoming patients Monday through Thursday from 7 AM to 7 PM and Friday from 7 AM to 4 PM. Saturday appointments are available as needed. Medical Imaging at Malta is also open for digital mammography appointments Monday-Friday.

Please do not wait to make an appointment—screenings are key to early detection. To make a screening mammography appointment, please call 518-580-2232.
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