» News

:: HHS States Support for Younger Mammo Screening

» posted on November 22, 2009

The U.S. government’s screening mammography policies will remain unchanged, despite new recommendations announced this week by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to start screening at age 50 rather than 40.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on November 18 reaffirmed the agency’s backing for the younger screening age. She was responding to a controversy that erupted on November 17, when the USPTSF announced in an article in the Annals of Internal Medicine that it had changed its guidelines to advise that women not begin screening until the age of 50 and, at that age, undergo the test every other year rather than annually.

Medicare currently pays for screening mammograms once every 12 months, beginning at age 40.

» Read the rest at Aunt Minnie (registration required)

:: Reaction to New Breast Screening Recommendations

» posted on November 16, 2009

It’s likely that, by now, you’ve heard of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s new recommendations for breast screening guidelines. This new report includes several radical departures from standard clinical practices, including:

• Screening mammography should not be done routinely for all women age 40-49 years.
• Women aged 50-74 years should have mammography every two years.
• There is not enough evidence to recommend for or against screening mammography after age 74 years.

Here at Staying Abreast we strongly disagree with task force’s conclusions. Along with the Society of Breast Imaging and the American College of Radiology, the American Cancer Society, and many other respected professional organizations, will voice strong opposition to the changes proposed in the articles.

We sincerely believe that adopting these guidelines would result in a major step backward in women’s healthcare and increased deaths from breast cancer.

:: The Rules of Cancer

» posted on November 12, 2009

The New York Times has an excellent article up this week that lists the “11 rules for cancer patients.” Written by Kathryn Gurland, the list includes a wealth of information to help those newly diagnosed with breast and other forms of cancer. What’s more, the first two (and the most important!) points in the list are directly relevant to what we do here at Staying Abreast:

1. A cancer diagnosis is not an emergency.
2. Make sure your doctor and others involved in your care get to know the person behind the diagnosis.

It is vitally important to get additional screening and second opinions from trusted, non-biased sources like Staying Abreast. Dr. Rossman specializes in personalized care that makes sure patients come first and is invaluable in the early stages of cancer diagnosis.

You can read all 11 of the items on Ms. Gurland’s list here: A Survivor’s Compass.

:: NYT: Referrals Turn Patients Into Commodities

» posted on August 2, 2009

The New York Times recently published an interesting article detailing some of the problems the modern referral system can cause in medicine. The article covers just a few of the reasons why we think sites like Staying Abreast are so important – when it comes to breast cancer, the last thing you want is for your doctor to have motivations other than your health!

Referrals Turn Patients Into Commodities (New York Times)

:: Dr. Rossman is named to Top Radiologists in America!

» posted on June 23, 2009

Dr. Rossmann has been recognized in as a Lifetime Member of the Cambridge Who’s Who and will be included in the 2009-2010 edition of the registry!

Click here to see the certificate.

Press Release July 23rd, 2009

MCambridge Who’s Who is the fastest-growing publisher of executive, professional and entrepreneur biographies in the world today. Our accomplished members and extensive online database make Cambridge Who’s Who a premier resource for networking.

The Cambridge mission is to deliver its members the recognition and competitive edge needed to network and do business effectively. Inclusion in the Registry is an honor limited to individuals who have demonstrated leadership and achievement in their industry and occupation.