This causes increased emotional morbidity which translates into increased dollars for healthcare. Patients and families need help. Anna Quindlen still recalls vividly the pain felt over twenty years ago because of the lack of education and support her family received. The Lefton's carry the memory of lack of educational support and its' effect on their coping. Hospitals and breast centers are in a unique position to respond to this cry for help.
Educational materials are readily available from many sources for our medical facilities.
Nurses can be trained to service only breast cancer patients and their families. There is no need for physician bashing in this area. Most are doing all they can with the amount of time and support they receive from the facilities in which they practice. We need to depend on them for the life and death issues and leave to us the patient teaching and support. Healthcare reform requires the most cost-effective method of patient care.