| Posted May 21, 2015 | By Bernie Burgess, M.D. | Categorized under WMC Happenings, Women's Health |

One recurring theme I hear from the women we treat at Williamson's Breast Health Center is that they want to be sure they can have the same procedures performed at the same level of expertise here that they could at some of the bigger facilities in Nashville.

I am happy to tell them that yes, everything we do here is the same thing that's being done at other medical centers nationwide — only with a more personal touch. We are accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), which is a subsidiary of the American College of Surgeons, and our Breast Imaging Center was designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. Those are huge accolades.

Because we are always looking to expand our offerings and improve the experience our patients have while they are here, we are excited to announce we are growing Williamson's Breast Health Center and moving into a beautiful new space at 4601 Carothers Parkway, just down the street from the medical center building and will open in that new space in June of this year.

This move will combine all of our breast health services from consultations to biopsies to imaging into one convenient location. We are also adding some new technology, such as digital tomosynthesis, which creates a 3-D image of the breast using X-Rays and can produce clearer, more accurate images when used in conjunction with mammography. This type of technology can help us detect cancers of the breast earlier in some cases.

Family atmosphere

It would be easy for someone to look at our smaller size and assume that is a disadvantage for us, but in reality it's the exact opposite. We have the technology and the skilled staff just like the bigger facilities, but we are able to offer very personalized service. We know you and your family when you come here. We get very involved not only in your medical treatment, but between myself, the breast health navigator and our nurses, we will be certain that you understand everything that is happening with your treatment.

We will have our breast health navigator on site and she will be available anytime you need her. She's like having your own personal patient advocate. You never have to wonder who to call to ask a question. Patients know exactly who they can call and that's a great asset when you are dealing with something like breast cancer.

Positive outcomes

Breast cancer, when caught and treated early is a very treatable disease and we want women to know that. It doesn't have to be a death sentence.

The fact is now we have a lot more options with surgery and medical treatment. There is more testing now that can tell us what the risk is for your relatives and more of it is covered by insurance than in years past. Depending on the stage of cancer, in many cases we are able to put a woman's mind at ease and educate them that breast cancer can be treatable and manageable.