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You are here: Home / Archives for breast cancer

breast cancer

A Call to Care: New Breast Surgeon Joins Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group

October 3, 2021 By quadcities 2 Comments

“She’s a skilled surgeon and very experienced at supporting patients as they manage the complexities of a breast cancer diagnosis.”

“The practice of medicine is a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.”

These words were spoken more than 100 years ago by a physician known as the founder of modern medicine. Yet, even today, they perfectly describe the experience of LaNette Smith, M.D., an accomplished breast surgeon who is joining Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group, Breast Surgery.

“There’s a passion in the people who care for patients at the Breast Care Center and YRMG Breast Surgery,” said Dr. Smith. “They bring a combination of compassion and enthusiasm to their work that’s familiar to me. I immediately felt at home with their approach to patient care.”

Called to Care

Dr. Smith’s journey to the medical profession began at an early age. As a child, she admired the family practice physician who cared for people in the small town in which she was raised. During high school, she volunteered at that physician’s clinic to learn more about the world of medicine.

“I enjoyed the relationship the doctor had with his patients and the way he helped them,” said Smith. “It felt like my calling.”

Smith pursued her calling at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine-Tulsa, where she earned a medical degree and embarked on a medical residency. Her excellent fine motor skills led her to specialize in surgery, a high-energy specialty that would also expose her to new technologies and techniques. And, there were the patients. An empathetic listener and effective communicator, like the doctor in her hometown, Smith understood the importance of the physician-patient relationship.

Specializing in Breast Surgery

During her five-year surgical residency, Smith became the preferred surgeon for patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Breast surgery patients are different from most surgical patients,” Smith explained. “You form a long-term relationship with them, you share life experiences, and of course, you surgically care for them. All of these aspects of care are important to me as a breast surgeon.”

While she was gaining general surgical experience during her residency, Smith also wanted to be specifically prepared to care for patients – women and men – facing breast cancer. The best way to accomplish this, she decided, was through a breast surgery fellowship. At the time, there were only 11 such fellowships in the nation. She decided to join one at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

Treating the Whole Patient

During her years as a breast surgeon, Smith has experienced what it means to treat the whole patient.

“I listen to patients and am respectful of their desires,” she said. “I give them good, accurate medical information to help guide their decisions. In fact, I’ve probably spent more time counseling patients and involved in social discussions related to care than I have in surgery.”

Smith remembers one breast cancer patient in particular. An elderly woman who had no family support nearby, she was driving to treatments and managing her home life – including her beloved dogs – on her own. The patient was reluctant to undergo breast surgery because she had no one to care for her dogs during her recovery.

“When we discovered this patient’s concern,” remembered Smith, “our team helped her find someone who would care for her dogs after surgery.”

Sharing Knowledge

Smith has published widely in her field. She has also contributed to her profession by serving as a clinical professor at her alma mater.

“Working with residents helps keep you at the top of your game,” Smith explained. “If you’re going to teach something, you really have to know it well.”

Welcome to Yavapai County

Dr. Smith begins seeing patients on October 4, 2021, the first Monday of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Welcoming Dr. Smith to our community is the best possible way to recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” said Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) Director of Marketing and Communications Ken Boush. “She’s a skilled surgeon and very experienced at supporting patients as they manage the complexities of a breast cancer diagnosis.”

For Smith, her new role at YRMG, Breast Surgery is part of her lifelong journey.

“I consider this my mission,” she said. “This is what God has called me to do and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. It’s a blessing.”

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith, contact:

Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group, Breast Surgery

7700 East Florentine Road

Building B, Suite 203

Prescott Valley, Arizona 86314

928-442-8740. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara 

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in healthcare. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: breast cancer, breast cancer diagnosis, Bridget O'Gara, Dr. LaNette Smith, LaNette Smith, LaNette Smith M.D., National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Yavapai Regional Medical Center

Diagnostic Breast Ultrasound Takes Major Leap Forward

June 26, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Some physicians are also recommending the Hologic breast ultrasound to screen patients who are at high risk for breast cancer.

Remember when television migrated from analog to digital in 2009 and a few years later, made the leap to high-definition television? With each generation, the images were crisper, the colors more vibrant, the monitors sleeker.

The world of diagnostic ultrasound is having a similar moment, thanks to high-definition imaging technology like the Hologic SuperSonic MACH 30 Breast Ultrasound. This is good news for patients of the Breast Care Center at Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) and Prescott Medical Imaging (PMI), where the technology was recently introduced.

“It’s very stressful to be called back for additional testing after a screening mammography,” said YRMC Imaging Operations Manager at Dignity Health Kathi Hoffer. “But the availability of this state-of-the-art diagnostic technology – and our excellent imaging team –  reassures our patients that we will get the most accurate results.”

Some physicians are also recommending the Hologic breast ultrasound to screen patients who are at high risk for breast cancer.

More Details, Less Time

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the body. How is the Hologic breast ultrasound different? First, it was designed specifically for breast tissue. It takes this a step further with an option to “customize” the exam according to the patient’s breast tissue.

“If the woman has fatty breast tissue, dense breast tissue or cysts, for example, the Hologic breast ultrasound has specific modes for each of those,” explained Hoffer. “This allows the ultrasound technologist to gather images with exceptional clarity and detail for the radiologist to interpret.”

The Hologic breast ultrasound images are also enhanced by a specially designed transducer, the handheld device used by the ultrasound technologist. Traditional ultrasound transducers pick up soundwaves from a single direction. The Hologic’s transducer records soundwaves from multiple angles.

Ultrasound technologists and patients both benefit from the Hologic’s new touchpad. The device is user-friendly and reduces the amount of time the exam takes.

A Consistent Image

Ensuring the availability of the Hologic breast ultrasound at both the Breast Care Center and PMI is part of YRMC’s commitment to imaging continuity.

“It’s important that women undergo their annual breast screenings and any related breast studies at the same center,” Hoffer said. “If you’re using different equipment, it’s difficult to tell if changes in the breast tissue are related to the machine or the mass that’s being studied.”

Brought to You by the YRMC Foundation

The Hologic breast ultrasound technology is possible thanks to a generous donation from the Yavapai Regional Medical Center Foundation.

“The YRMC Foundation is honored to make this state-of-the-art diagnostic tool available to patients of the Breast Care Center and Prescott Medical Imaging,” said YRMC Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Dave Barrett. “This gift demonstrates how important YRMC Foundation donors are to expanding and improving healthcare throughout our community.” QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

For more information about Hologic breast ultrasound and other breast imaging services, speak to your physician. You may also contact the Breast Care Center at Dignity Health, YRMC or Prescott Medical Imaging at 928-771-7577.

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: breast cancer, Bridget O'Gara, diagnostic ultrasound, Hologic breast ultrasound, Yavapai Regional Medical Center, Yavapai Regional Medical Center Foundation

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