Breast health program expands
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Backus Hospital’s successful Breast Health
Patient Navigator Program is expanding from
part-time to full-time.
“We provide education, social support and referrals to women who have an abnormal mammogram, from diagnosis through treatment,” said Joyce Kuusela, a registered nurse and the hospital’s certified patient Navigator. “We want to make sure no one falls through the cracks. We also provide outreach education to women who may be underinsured or not insured and have financial or other barriers to healthcare.”
The program, funded by the Backus Foundation, is part of the hospital's Breast Health Initiative, which focuses on early detection, excellence in treatment and improving patients’ healthcare experience.
Ms. Kuusela said one of the areas of expansion would be to ease the experience of having a mastectomy and several projects specific to this phase are being developed.
One patient, who preferred not to use her name, said the program has been very helpful. “Before I discovered a lump, I never had any medical problems,” she said. “I didn’t even know where to begin, where to go.”
A friend recommended Mark Tramontozzi, MD, a surgeon on the Backus Medical Staff, who connected her with Ms. Kuusela. The patient was uninsured and was eligible for the Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which covered almost all her expenses associated with her biopsy. Because of the patient’s positive pathology, Ms. Kuusela was then able to transition her into the Patient Navigator program and secure more inclusive insurance coverage for her expenses going forward.
The patient said when she first met with Ms. Kuusela, she was given a binder of information pertinent to her diagnosis.
“She went over everything with me and the information is so thorough. She is so easy to talk to and good with people – she is great for that position. There is help out there and some people don’t even realize it.”
The patient has since had a lumpectomy and started chemotherapy in July.
“It really takes a big weight off your mind, because it makes things available to you that you don’t even realize you might need,” she said. “It allows me to concentrate on healing, because I don’t have to worry about other things.”
For more information call: Joyce Kuusela, RN, at 425-3870, or Theresa Thackston at 425-3809.