Your First Visit to the Providence Breast Centre

You are referred to the Providence Breast Centre at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital by your family doctor.

View Information Letter to Patient

We will notify your family doctor's office of the details of your appointment. Your family doctor's office will contact you about the date and time of the appointment. Please call us at (604) 877-8511 ext:4 to confirm the appointment as soon as possible.

Breast Imaging Tests

If you are having breast imaging (mammogram, breast ultrasound, ultrasound guided breast biopsy), please report to the Radiology Department which is located on the ground floor of Mount Saint Joseph Hospital.

Your Appointment at PBC

Your appointment would be approximately 1-1.5 hours with our team at the PBC. During your appointment with the diagnostic physician or breast surgeon, you will meet one of our nurse navigators who will help you coordinate the diagnostic and treatment plan. The diagnostic physician will perform a detailed history and physical breast examination in correlation with the imaging test reports and decide whether you are to be discharged or need a follow-up plan. If your condition requires further treatment (e.g. surgery), he/she will refer you to see one of the breast surgeons.

Should you require chemotherapy or radiation therapy, referral to the BC Cancer will be arranged for you.

Following your initial consultation with the surgeon, you may meet with a nurse navigator to review the details of your treatment plan. This meeting is approximately 15 minutes. Please contact the nurse navigator should you have further questions after you have left the clinic. Our nurse navigator will coordinate closely with you and act as your point of contact for future appointments, questions and emotional support.

• Please bring the following:
  • Your BC Services Card (Care Card)
  • A valid photo ID
  • Your normal prescription medications, including inhalers if you use them
• Please arrive 15 minutes early, earlier if you need to complete forms.
• Please attend all appointments (including imaging and biopsies).
• If changes to appointments must be made, please notify the clinic as soon as possible. This allows us to assign the time to other patients.
• If you would like family members to be present at your initial consultation, please limit to two people and inform us at the beginning of the appointment
• If you do not speak or understand English proficiently, please bring someone who is able to translate for you. In exceptional circumstances we might be able to find an interpreter through the hospital.

What to expect during your appointment

• Initial consultation: 30 minutes; follow-up visits: 15 minutes
• Review condition, tests leading up to visit, and other medical history
• Perform a physical examination
• Develop an individualized treatment plan

Please also note

• Photographs may be taken for surgical planning and clinical records
• Recording is not permitted due to confidentiality reasons
• Results will not be provided over the phone
• While we aim to be punctual with our appointments, unexpected circumstances can occur. This may mean you have to wait longer than we would like.

You may complete the following forms before your first visit or if it has been over six months since your most recent visit

• Providence Health Care Pre-Admission Form
• Providence Health Care History Patient Questionnaire