Mission Statement
Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN) will provide comprehensive breast healthcare to the customers of the ECHN community, utilizing the various geographically located ECHN facilities. The ECHN Breast Care Collaborative will focus on the detection and treatment of breast cancer, through outreach education and support to the community which ECHN serves, utilizing the services of the Breast Care Coordinator.
The ECHN Breast Care Collaborative is now a member of the National Consortium of Breast Centers, Inc. which strives to "promote excellence in breast health for the general public through a network of diverse professionals dedicated to the active exchange of ideas and resources.
Breast Care Collaborative focuses on support and wellness
With a single call to the ECHN Breast Care Coordinator, a woman can access the expertise of our specially trained registered nurse, Kathy Porter, RN, BS, who is available to answer questions and help you navigate through your care. The high level of expertise that the staff brings to this program includes specialists, with particular expertise in the treatment of breast disease, including radiologists, radiation and medical oncologists, pathologists, dedicated and certified breast surgeons, nurses, social workers, genetic counselors and dietitians.
Patients are directed efficiently to the places they need to be for diagnosis and treatment. If additional breast imaging or a biopsy is needed, that can be arranged. Appointments can be arranged with surgeons and are often scheduled for within 24 hours of the request. A diagnosis within 24 to 48 hours is our goal for women who have been referred for a biopsy or additional imaging. With this integrated Breast Care Collaborative women have access to timely, top-quality care of breast disease all in one program.
The Breast Care Collaborative is located at the ECHN Medical Building at Evergreen Walk, 2800 Tamarack Avenue, Suite 100 South Windsor. For more information or to make an appointment, please call, 860-533-4696, option #2
For most women, the discovery of a breast lump immediately conjures thoughts of breast cancer and its implications. Fortunately, most lumps are not cancer. But when they are, early detection is imperative in the successful treatment of this disease
We are proud to say that ECHN is fully committed to the early detection of breast cancer. This is demonstrated through the number of convenient locations for mammography services within its network, new state-of-the-art technology, educational programs, and more.
Mammography
The American Cancer Society guidelines recommend that women have an annual screening mammogram beginning by the age of 40. Recommendations by the National Cancer Institute state that women who have had breast cancer or are at increased risk due to genetics or history of prior breast cancer follow their health care provider recommendations for frequency of mammography screening.
Information on the new Dense Breast Tissue Legislation.
Our Centers for Mammography
All of our mammography services are accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Mammography technologists have received specialized training in mammography and all exams are reviewed by Board Certified radiologists.
We invite you to make an appointment at one of our locations:
Manchester Memorial Hospital, 71 Haynes St. Manchester, Ct. (860) 872-5150 or 533-4696 #1
Rockville General Hospital, 31 Union St. Vernon, ct. (860) 872-5150 or 533-4696 #1
Women's Center for Wellness, 2800 Tamarack Ave., So. Windsor, Ct. (860) 533-4646 or 533-4696 #1
Glastonbury Wellness Center, 628 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury, Ct. (860) 652-3182 533-4696 #1
Tolland Imaging Center: 6 Fieldstone Commons, Suite E, Tolland, CT 06084, (860) 896-4848
Clinical breast exam (CBE)
Women in their 20's and 30's should have a CBE during their regular physicals - at least once every three years. After the ago of 40 a CBE should be performed every year.
Breast self-exam (BSE)
Women should perform breast self exams beginning in their 20's, and report any changes in how their breasts look or feel to their health care professional.
Men and breast cancer
Men can also get breast cancer. Although not many resources are dedicated to men's needs ECHN can direct you to resources and helpful information. All of our facilities are available to men in the event of the need for a mammogram and any further testing and services.
The combination of clinical breast exams, breast self-exams, and mammography are your best tools in detecting breast cancer while it is small and most curable.
Signs of Breast Cancer
• A lump or thickening under the breast or under the arm
• A change in size, shape, or texture of breast
• Nipple changes in a previously normal breast
• Nipple discharge, either clear or bloody
• A change in the color or feel of the skin of the breast or nipple areola, such as puckering, dimpling or scaling
If you notice any of these symptoms listed above, make an appointment with your health care provider immediately.
Other tests that may be used in the detection of breast cancer:
Ultrasound
A technician performs an exam that is painless and uses sound waves to depict images of the inside of the breast. This information is useful in determining whether a density is solid or liquid.
MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging. This scan is highly sensitive and provides useful information when used in combination with other tests. Particularly useful for patients that have had other tests that are inconclusive, or for those with dense breasts, prior breast cancer, or have a family history of breast cancer. MRI is often used to pinpoint the exact location of a tumor before a biopsy.
ECHN Breast Care Collaborative Surgeons
ECHN Breast Care Collaborative Surgeons offer office consultations and perform all types of breast biopsy procedures. This includes tissue biopsy and surgery when indicated. The ECHN Breast Care Collaborative includes the following board certified surgeons:
• Harry Anderson, M.D.
• Elizabeth Brady, M.D., FACS
• R. Winfield Raynor, M.D.
• Rochelle Ringer, M.D.
• Laureen F. Rubino, M.D., FACS
• Maher Suede, M.D., FACS
Other Breast Care Collaborative physician team:
• Robert Schwartz, MD, ECHN Pathology
• Frederick Schuler, MD, ECHN Radiology
• Harold Beam, MD, Plastic and Cosmetic surgery
• Michael Reale, MD, Medical Oncology
• Steven Hauser, MD, Radiation Oncology
Breast Cancer: One-On-One Support
The American Cancer Society offers "Reach to Recovery." Breast cancer survivors provide one-on-one support and information to help individuals cope with breast cancer. Specially trained survivors of breast cancer serve as volunteers, responding in person or by phone to the concerns of people facing a breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, recurrence, or recovery. If you or a loved one is in need of one-on-one support, please call our toll-free number, 1.800.227.2345. By calling our toll-free number you can speak to someone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Do You Need a Doctor?
When you have a mammogram, we ask for the name of a doctor to whom the results are sent. This doctor can be a family physician, internist, OB/GYN, or other. Click here [link to doctor search] if you'd like to search our database of credentialed physicians on the ECHN medical staff.
Financial Services
A limited number of free and low-cost mammography services are available through ECHN to those who qualify. Check with the facility of your choice to see if you are eligible for assistance:
- At Manchester Memorial Hospital, call (860) 646.1222, ext. 2218
- At Rockville General Hospital, call (860) 872-5310
- At the Women's Center for Wellness, limited donated funds are available to underwrite clinical services for uninsured women. Applications for these funds may be made by calling (860) 533-4646. You will be forwarded a brief financial form to be completed and submitted for eligibility.
- At the Glastonbury Wellness Center, reduced fee services for mammograms are available to those meeting financial eligibility criteria. Call (860) 652-3182.
