Hospital Selection

When selecting a hospital, make sure that you are comfortable with the physician, medical team, staff, and facilities.

Some of the specifics you should look for when considering hospitals are:

- How comprehensive is the care? How many services are offered that you might need within the hospital (i.e. radiology, reconstructive surgery)?
- How do they coordinate care? Is there one person who is responsible for each patient and what is their availability for questions?
- How many breast cancer patients does the hospital treat?
- What percentage of the surgeon's operations are on breasts?
- Do they have a breast imaging center or do they use an all purpose radiologist?
- How responsive are they? After the first mammogram, how quickly will you receive the results and have follow up testing?
- Is their technology state of the art?
- Do they have a multidisciplinary approach? Do all the specialists meet to discuss the care of each patient before treatment.
- Are on-site counseling and support groups available? Do trained counselors lead the sessions?
- Are their services to assist the patient with insurance and other miscellaneous needs?
- How comfortable do you feel with the procedures and facilities? Such as private dressing rooms, waiting areas, etc.
- Do you feel comfortable with the staff?
- Do they perform cutting edge research and offer clinical trials?
- Do they have access to a genetics counselor? Family history may be a factor in some of the decisions. When selecting a hospital, make sure that you are comfortable with the physician, medical team, staff, and facilities.

Some of the specifics you should look for when considering hospitals are:

- How comprehensive is the care? How many services are offered that you might need within the hospital (i.e. radiology, reconstructive surgery)?
- How do they coordinate care? Is there one person who is responsible for each patient and what is their availability for questions?
- How many breast cancer patients does the hospital treat?
- What percentage of the surgeon's operations are on breasts?
- Do they have a breast imaging center or do they use an all purpose radiologist?
- How responsive are they? After the first mammogram, how quickly will you receive the results and have follow up testing?
- Is their technology state of the art?
- Do they have a multidisciplinary approach? Do all the specialists meet to discuss the care of each patient before treatment.
- Are on-site counseling and support groups available? Do trained counselors lead the sessions?
- Are their services to assist the patient with insurance and other miscellaneous needs?
- How comfortable do you feel with the procedures and facilities? Such as private dressing rooms, waiting areas, etc.
- Do you feel comfortable with the staff?
- Do they perform cutting edge research and offer clinical trials?
- Do they have access to a genetics counselor? Family history may be a factor in some of the decisions.