|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Helping to Save Women's Lives
Given her impressive academic background, it’s no surprise to find that Dr. Deutch is highly knowledgeable and skilled. She combines her skill and drive with warmth and compassion. Dr. Deutch did her undergraduate work at Brown University and received her M.D. from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She did her post-doctoral work at Saint Vincent’s Hospital and the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. She originally joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York as a dedicated breast imager. During her three years there, she initiated the breast MRI program and helped pioneer stereotactic breast biopsy. In 1994, Monmouth Medical Center recruited Dr. Deutch to join their new Jacqueline M. Wilentz Comprehensive Breast Center as director of breast imaging. At the time, she was eight months pregnant, which influenced her decision to move out of New York City to Monmouth County. "When I came to this community, I was able to introduce technology and techniques that made a difference to the breast care in Monmouth County," says Deutch. "I am very proud of that." Before the new center was established, Monmouth Medical offered mammography services within the hospital, but there were no dedicated breast imagers. According to Dr. Deutch, studies have shown that radiologists who read over 5,000 mammograms per year perform better at early detection of breast cancer, and this volume will only be handled if the radiologist is dedicated to breast imaging. The Wilentz Breast Center was designed to be a comfortable place for women and to give humane breast care with same-day results. The Breast Center became very popular. Over the eight years that Deutch worked there, the volume of mammograms rose from 3,000 per year to 30,000 per year, with just two breast imagers on staff. "I became a victim of my own success," says Deutch. She had many ideas for improvements, but did not have the control to implement the changes, and she ultimately made the choice to open her own facility. At that time, Dr. Deutch was pregnant with her third child. She took advantage of the timing to leave Monmouth Medical last February and break ground on her own facility, which she named HerSpace, in West Long Branch. Baby Charlotte was born within a few days of Dr. Deutch’s leaving the medical center. The birth of HerSpace took a bit longer, opening on August 16. Dr. Deutch is pleased that she is now in complete control at HerSpace, a physical facility has been designed the way she wants it, with the goal of providing a comforting and tranquil atmosphere for her patients and her staff, and it is large enough for a good deal of growth. As the volume increases, Dr. Deutch says, she will add staff in order to maintain the highest possible level of patient care. Private consult rooms are large and will soon have computer monitors for review of digital images; the dressing rooms provide spa-like robes instead of hospital gowns; there are orchids and a lovely waterfall in the patient waiting room. There is a separate, spacious waiting area for family or friends, and a private video room for patients to learn more about different procedures. Dr. Deutch has given equal attention to facilities for the staff, knowing that the whole team must be happy for HerSpace to be successful. But as impressive as the physical facility is, the advanced technology is even more so. HerSpace has both film screen and digital mammography units. Many mammography clinics do not yet have digital units since they still are priced at close to $500,000, Dr. Deutch notes. There are several benefits to the digital unit: it is faster, gives off less radiation for women with dense breasts, and provides better images. According to Dr. Deutch, studies show a 30% reduction in callbacks using digital imaging. HerSpace has two ultrasound rooms, with equipment used to screen higher-risk patients or to further evaluate abnormalities found in the original screening. A hand-held Mammotome machine is used for core biopsies, and ultrasound is used to guide the probe to the right location. Stereotactic biopsies are performed in another large room; this technique combines the Mammotome with digital mammography to accurately guide the probe. Another important component of HerSpace is the digital review room. At the workstation in this room, the breast imager (Dr. Deutch or Dr. Heller-Savoy) will use advanced technology to review the images. Computer aided diagnostic tools, and digital processing allow the radiologist to pay attention to every detail. The technology allows the physician to zoom in on a minute area or increase the contrast to see potential abnormalities more clearly. All the patients’ images are archived automatically overnight, and each evening, the images for the following day’s patients are loaded into the workstation from the server or the remote back-up site. A radiology information system makes HerSpace even more efficient; detailed technical reports, patient letters and patient reminders can be generated by the radiologist in a matter of seconds using the sophisticated medical software application. Dr. Deutch says that she couldn’t have done this without the support of her husband, who is her technology expert. One aspect of HerSpace that needs explanation is the insurance issue. For routine screening, HerSpace does not handle insurance claims directly, with the exception of Medicare. Patients are asked to pay for their mammography services at the time of the visit. The cost is $250. Patients are given forms to fill out and submit to their own insurance provider for reimbursement. HerSpace is an out-of-network provider, so patients should find out what coverage they have within their plans. Dr. Deutch explains that she could not provide the same level of advanced technology and care if she had joined the in-network insurance plans, since the plans do not adequately reimburse participating physicians (specifically, they do not differentiate between digital and film screen mammography services.) Most plans do, however, provide a reasonable percentage directly to patients for out-of-network services, so individuals need to make this decision. Another aspect of the insurance issue is that follow-up procedures such as biopsies can be scheduled with Dr. Rose Heller-Savoy, who is participating with insurance programs, and performs these diagnostic procedures two days per week. In this case, HerSpace will directly file insurance claims for the patient. Several patients who have chosen HerSpace point out that it is much more critical in their minds to have quality breast care than some of their other expenses; one patient compared it to going out to dinner one extra time per year. "HerSpace is a choice for women," says the passionate Dr. Deutch, "and I hope women can appreciate what I stand for and what I am trying to accomplish. "I love coming to work every day," she said. "What could be better? I find early cancers nearly every day, and I help to save women’s lives." This article originally appeared in the Two River Times on the week of October 25, 2002. |
||||
|
||||
HerSpace Breast Imaging Associates • Monmouth Park Corp. Center I • Bldg. A • Suite 130 • 187 Route 36
West Long Branch, NJ 07764 • phone: 732.571.9100 • fax: 732.571.9650
