Breast care takes the stage at new Women's Center
Jessica Brewer, LMH Health
The new Women’s Center at LMH West was designed with convenience, time and care for our patients in mind. One major goal was to provide a center for our patients that could handle most of the care they needed all under one roof, just a seconds walk away from each other.
Megan Pedersen, director of specialty clinics, said this multidisciplinary approach has only been enhanced and grown in the planning and designing process. It was important for the Women’s Center to be equipped with advanced technology but also to provide high-quality care in a one-stop-shop format for our patients.
“There has been much thought put into making it convenient for women to get the care they need in a way that will allow them to live their lives to the fullest by getting some time in their days back,” she said. “We are going to make it easier for women to get the care they need.”
Focusing on breast health
One in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in her life. When breast cancer is detected early enough, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100%. Family history may put some women at higher risk, but 85% of breast cancers occur in women with no family history of the disease.
Dr. Jennifer Hawasli, a fellowship-trained physician in breast surgical oncology, is a recent addition to the LMH Health Women’s Center, joining the team in August. She decided to become a breast surgeon because she not only gets to operate, which she enjoys, but she gets to spend time in the office with patients.
“Breast cancer can be a very scary diagnosis,” she said. “I like being able to explain their disease to my patients. By giving them knowledge about their disease, I can give them power over it.”
Dr. Scarlett Aldrich
Dr. Hawasli is ready to bring the latest advances in care to her patients along with incredible accessibility to quality care at the West Campus.
“From the breast center, mammography, plastics, radiology and even outpatient surgery, having all of these services in one place helps ease anxiety for breast patients,” Dr. Hawasli said. “Today breast cancer can be treatable but requires multidisciplinary care and patients have to go to multiple physicians. Decreasing locations and bringing many members of the breast cancer team under one roof helps decrease stressors.”
Dr. Scarlett Aldrich, a physician with Plastic Surgery Specialists of Lawrence, is also excited to focus her time at the West Campus on breast care.
“Talking about breast cancer and cancer care is a hard topic and can be overwhelming to patients,” she said. “Providing the opportunity for women to combine several aspects of their care at one time at the West Campus will efficiently bundle and minimize the time spent in a doctor’s office so that they can focus on maximizing their quality of life everywhere else.”
Many other providers and clinic staff are also available to assist in coordinating future appointments and help to minimize appointment time and maximize time away from the hospital.
“It also promotes easy and efficient communication between providers when our offices are steps away from one another,” Dr. Aldrich said. “This is an exciting step forward in the future of LMH Health!”
Welcoming our new breast surgeon, Dr. Jennifer Hawasli
Dr. Jennifer Hawasli
LMH Health was thrilled to welcome Dr. Hawasli to the medical staff this summer. Dr. Hawasli earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas – Austin and her medical degree from Texas Tech. She completed her internship and residency at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and her fellowship in oncological breast surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Hawasli is also board certified in general surgery.
“Being a doctor is incredibly rewarding, especially being able to tell my patients that their cancer has been removed,” she said.
Dr. Hawasli loves following her patients through life. The bond she is able to develop with both patients and their families is one of the aspects of her job she loves the most. Her patients and team-focused mindset is part of what drew her to LMH Health.
“Breast cancer is best treated as a team,” she said. “I was fortunate to find LMH Health, where we have a wonderful team that works together to take care of the patient.”
Jessica Brewer is social media and digital communication specialist at LMH Health.
