How the Provincial Breast Health Initiative is improving care for breast cancer patients

Finding a suspicious lump in your breast is disconcerting. Waiting to meet with a health-care provider for the diagnosis and treatment of the lump can be even more nerve-racking.

“The diagnostic period is highly stressful for women,” says Dr. May Lynn Quan, co-medical lead, Provincial Breast Health Initiative.

That’s why expediting diagnostic assessment is one of the key areas addressed by the Provincial Breast Health Initiative. Set in motion by the AHS Cancer Strategic Clinical Network (SCN) in October 2016, the initiative began with a provincial stakeholder meeting — with patients, surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, nurses, primary care physicians and support staff — to review every aspect of a breast cancer patient’s journey and find ways to improve it. Stakeholders included many committed and knowledgeable partners within AHS, but also outside of AHS, too. From that meeting, a number of goals were identified along the pathway, including shortening wait times to diagnosis and increasing recovery options after surgery.

Original article posted on Oct. 28, 2019 and can be found at Leap Magazine.