Can doctors in NYC be recommended here?

Janeway69, here's a list of the NCI-designated cancer centers in New York. Hopefully, you won't need any additional follow up, but in the event you do, I would stick with one of these facilities, where you will find top breast surgeons/experts. Good luck to you! Deanna

http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/extramura...

I have not used Dr Swistel myself, but have 2 friends who have and they think very highly of him. Mia Talmor (plastic surgeon) at Cornell did the reduction I had after my lumpectomy, and I have only positive things to say about her. She is lovely, caring, responsive, and did a fabulous job. I also saw Anne Moore for a consult/second opinion and liked her as well.

The breast surgeon who has been following me for the past 4 years is Freya Schnabel at NYU. She is tops in her field and great also. When I first saw her and there was some diagnostic confusion (initially thought I had DCIS, but turned out to be atypia) she spent lots of time with my husband and me explaining options. I never felt rushed and she was very compassionate, but also straightforward, which I appreciated.

what Jessica said 👆🏼

Here's what I recommend after 3-1/2 years of Stage IV, MSK. I live in NC, but was living in NYC when I was diagnosed. So I have a local oncology care team and my primary care team at Sloan-Kettering (MSK), and can compare. It's not easy, getting to NYC every 3 months, but I get the best care there. Some of the mistakes my team in NC has made: telling me I had cancer in my liver and needed chemo immediately, prescribing twice the amount of painkiller needed, refusing to follow my MSK doctor's request for an emergency MRI, telling me I needed a CT instead. (I changed local hospitals after that). If it weren't for MSK I would have had chemo for no reason, or truly, could have died from too much pain medicine. MSK is tops in my book because in my experience, doctors don't over-treat and quality of life is always of high importance. As an added bonus, the buildings, not just the breast center, have the most gorgeous art on the walls.

You have time to make appointments with a few oncologists and choose one you like best. I went to three after my Stage IV diagnosis and asked what treatment they recommended based on my test results. Each gave me a slightly different plan, but I didn't feel confused; it made me feel good to know I had options. One oncologist who had an award on her wall for being a top-ranked oncologist nationally refused to let me record our conversation, and answered several texts and a phone call from her young daughter during our consult. I was fortunate that my family doctor had interned at MSK, and had worked with several of the doctors. She recommended Tiffany Traina, the name doesn't sound like a doctor's name, does it. She has given me superb care since 2012. She's not just a knowledgeable, experienced breast oncologist, she's a kind, caring person

Wherever you go, don't settle for less than what you need. And don't be afraid to change doctors, or seek out other opinions when it comes to important decisions. When you have a doctor you can trust, you will feel so confident in your treatment decisions. I hope you find an oncologist you trust and feel at ease with

My experience is a lot like TarHeelMichelle's. I'm very fortunate to live in an upscale area with exceptional medical facilities -- probably far better than many places. But there have been some glaring mistakes in my care locally -- probably b'cuz they don't see nearly the number of bc patients UCLA that does, which is why I make the 3-hr. trek to keep my UCLA onc as my lead onc, while also using a local oncologist who is a wonderful doctor, but just not 100% focused on nor dedicated to treating breast cancer the way my UCLA onc is.

Janeway, yes, NYU Langone.

PS - Not Pleasantville, NY but it is Plainview, NY on Long Island.

Each place has its own personality.

I love MSK, especially because it is organized and the departments communicate well. They are really professional and the breast center is a much more pleasant environment than at NYH.

Some don't like the long waits at MSK or can find it impersonal.

MSK is protocol driven. If you don't think their suggestions are best for you, you may be comfortable somewhere else.

Also plastic surgeons play a different (secondary) role at MSK than at NYH. MSK also has pretty good secondary services, counseling, social work, support groups, complementary stuff.

(By the way there are some very smart doctors who have done important research at Montefiore, I considered going there for a second opinion.)

I had my surgery at NYH. I really did like Swistle.

I did have some really issues with my hospital stay, communication with MSK, communication within the office there.

A lot of people LOVE NYU, and find it to be more flexible and accommodating. They have some great doctors there as well.

Just a thought, upper east side radiology has a PEM machine which counter-indicated a second non-existing "shadow" tumor found on the MRI.

Good luck.

oops, Must have been thinking of the movie. Cog-Fog.

I don't think laser breast cancer surgery is practiced at all? Dr Ansanelli is the only laser surgeon I could find in the country 4 years ago.

He was the only surgeon I saw that was willing to try a lumpectomy for me. He was amazingly successful.

Janeway69......GREAT news. Be well.

Maureen

janeway, you are right. I was treated 6 years ago, maybe that name was more commonly used then, I was also treated in the ER there in the 90's. I feel like I had a patient ID that said that. Or maybe an old sign. I lived in that neighborhood for a long time

I live uptown not too far from NY Presbyterian... My husband was born and raised here will have to ask him what it was called in the 90s, think I've heard the mother in law call that hospital something weird 😄 NY Presbyterian takes medicaid an that's where it stops it - they do not take any 'Obama care' type insurances, they just opted not to take part apparently. I went to a plastic surgeon after being referred from NY Presbyterians ER, had an allergy to sutres (I'd had a Breast uplift in Europe), I thought the woman I saw in plastics was very good and thorough

I want to mention this some dr's at Weill Cornell accepted my insurance and others did not, so it is more of a dr by dr basis.  So you do have to check that out before hand.