Carol Milgard Breast Center

TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE BREAST HEALTH SERVICES TO ALL WOMEN AND MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN A CARING ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS CONFIDENCE, COMFORT, PEACE, AND DIGNITY.

PATIENT CARE SERVICES SCREENING AND PREVENTATIVE SERVICES WERE STOPPED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IN 2020 DUE TO CDC GUIDELINES RESTRICTING NON-ESSENTIAL CARE. AS A RESULT, THE BREAST CENTER SERVED FEWER PATIENTS AND HAD REDUCED EXAM VOLUMES. THE BREAST CENTER SERVED A TOTAL OF 32,374 TOTAL PATIENTS, PROVIDING SOME 52,451 EXAMS AND PROCEDURES. TO ENHANCE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE, STAFF CONTINUED TO BE ENGAGED IN A MINDFULNESS PROGRAM. STAFF WHO PRACTICE SELF CARE ARE BETTER ABLE TO SUPPORT AND CARE FOR PATIENTS.

OUTREACH TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN A TYPICAL YEAR, THE BREAST CENTER HOLDS 7-9 SCREENING EVENTS, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE CANCELED THE MAJORITY OF EVENTS IN 2020. AS A RESULT OF THE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE, WE SAW A DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN SERVICES WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE AND THUS, OUR PROGRAM EXPENSES WERE LESS THAN PREVIOUS YEARS. FOR EXAMPLE, OUTREACH PROGRAM EXPENSES IN 2019 WERE MORE THAN $123,000. THE BREAST CENTER HELD 2 SCREENING EVENTS THIS YEAR SERVING 98 WOMEN, WITH A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUYALLUP TRIBAL HEALTH AUTHORITY AND PIERCE COUNTY PROJECT ACCESS. PROJECT ACCESS REACHES PATIENTS WHOSE INCOME IS AT OR NEAR THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. FOR ALL SCREENING EVENTS AND DURING ITS REGULAR OPERATING SCHEDULE, THE BREAST CENTER PROVIDES FINANCIAL AID TO ALL ELIGIBLE PATIENTS THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF DONOR FUNDS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS LIKE THE BREAST, COLON, AND CERVICAL HEALTH PROGRAM. APPROXIMATELY 435 PATIENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID IN 2020. THE BREAST CENTER ALSO ADMINISTERS A VOUCHER PROGRAM FOR MEN OF ANY AGE OR WOMEN UNDER AGE 35 EXPERIENCING BREAST SYMPTOMS. THE BREAST CENTER CONTINUED A PROGRAM TITLED FAITHHEALTH IN ACTION WHICH SUPPORTS AND INFORMS CONGREGATIONS OF PREDOMINANTLY PEOPLE OF COLOR. THE PROGRAM FEATURES TRAINING AND SCREENING OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO BREAST AND PROSTATE HEALTH. MULTICARE AND CHI FRANCISCAN PROVIDERS HELP SUPPORT THE PROSTATE HEALTH COMPONENT, ALONG WITH THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY. THE BREAST CENTER ALSO CONTINUED ITS COLLABORATION WITH THE LEADERS IN WOMEN'S HEALTH. THIS GROUP OF 75 + MOSTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN HAS CONTINUED MEETING AND WORKING TOGETHER FOR 7 YEARS WITH THE GOAL OF REVERSING THE INCIDENCE AND MORTALITY RATES OF BREAST CANCER AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR IN OUR COUNTY. CMBC ALSO COLLABORATES WITH PACIFIC ISLANDER HEALTH ALLIANCE AND LATINOS UNIDOS OF SOUTH SOUND TO CONTINUE STRENGTHENING THE PARTNERSHIPS IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MOST COMMUNITY HEALTH EVENTS WERE CANCELED OR HELD VIRTUALLY. THE BREAST CENTER PARTICIPATED IN 3 BREAST HEALTH RELATED EVENTS, PROVIDING BREAST HEALTH EDUCATION CMBC CONTINUES ITS SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER AND HOW SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY SAVES LIVES.