Coordinated Breast Cancer Care

Siouxland doctors are working to help give you and your family better treatment when it comes to cancer.If you've been through a cancer diagnosis or have a loved one who has, you probably remember the overwhelming process of figuring out what to do next.A group of local doctors and medical professionals is working to lessen that confusion for patients... and make sure they're coordinating the best course of care.They let us inside one of their meetings to show you what it's like behind the scenes.Something unique is happening in our local medical community.  Dr. J.D. Welander, Midland's Clinic General Surgeon says, "Giant strides forward."You might expect it in a big city or with big, complicated medical cases.Dr. Laura McNaughton, Midland's Clinic Plastic Surgeon says, "It belongs here and so I'm very excited about it."It's a meeting of the minds.  All experts in their fields. Heads together, hashing out the future of someone's medical care.Dr. Welander says, "It's good for communication between physicians and making sure everyone's expertise is fully utilized in understanding and treating each patient."This multi-disciplinary committee is specifically about breast cancer patients. Diagnostic radiologists, surgeons, and oncologists from different hospitals and clinics meet every Thursday at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center to discuss their patients before a they settle on a treatment plan.We're not letting you hear what they're talking about or showing you the mammogram slides these doctors are looking at, because it's sensitive personal information and they take that seriously.What else they take seriously? Finding the best course of care for the person... not just a name on a chart.Dr. McNaughton says, "I think it's just what people deserve. It's what I would want if I had a major medical issue or my family did. It's what people with cancer deserve, not just for breast cancer, frankly, but any cancer."Dr. Santiago Moscoso, Oncologist, says, "So, I know what the surgeon is thinking, what kind of surgery is he planning to do, and how can I help with chemo or hormonal therapy."Collaboration with the patient in mind and it could be paving the way for more in the future.Dr. Welander says, "There's a lot of great potential and I think it's serving our community well."So, what happens after this meeting?  The Cancer Center's breast care coordinator talks with the patient about the plan the doctors have come up with - the patient gets input, too, and then they can move on to the first step in treatment.