Navigating the Needs of Rural Women with Breast Cancer: A Breast Care Program

We describe the development and establishment of a breast care program (BCP) with service for rural breast cancer patients. Our program is a comprehensive program serving rural communities in Wisconsin. Our BCP is committed to breast health throughout the continuum from breast cancer risk assessment and prevention, advanced diagnostics, and screening tools to genetic testing and state-of-the-art surgical techniques. To provide the highest level of care, we coordinate a breast care team involving collaboration of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals. Experts from various departments, including radiologists, pathologists, breast surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, genetic counselors, clinical trial specialists, and our breast care navigator, all work together to provide cutting edge cancer treatment and management. Our distinctive BCP allows patients to see multiple providers without having to make multiple appointments and promotes discussion of treatment recommendations and creation of a personalized treatment plan for each patient by a team of specialists.