High-Risk Breast Cancer Clinic
To better support patients at elevated risk for developing breast cancer, Munson Healthcare has opened a dedicated High-Risk Breast Cancer Clinic at the Cowell Family Cancer Center in Traverse City. This new clinic offers patients proactive care and personalized guidance for individuals with a higher lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.
Clinic services include:
- Personalized Risk Assessment: Patients receive a detailed review of their risk score along with expert guidance on next steps.
- Ongoing Surveillance: Annual breast cancer screenings, which may include MRI, for continued monitoring.
- Risk Reduction Education: Information on lifestyle and medical strategies to lower risk, plus access to genetic counseling when appropriate.
- Surgical Consultation: Coordinated referrals for surgical evaluation if clinically indicated.
Referral Process
For patients identified as high-risk — defined as having a calculated lifetime breast cancer risk of ≥20% — Munson will reach out to the patient’s referring provider to facilitate a referral to the clinic. For patients who self-refer for a mammogram, our team will share their risk score and help them establish care with a primary care provider to initiate a referral to the clinic.
The clinic’s team will also obtain insurance authorization for any recommended imaging.
How to Refer
If you would like to refer a patient to Munson’s High-Risk Breast Cancer Clinic — either based on your clinical judgement or because they’ve been identified as high-risk:
- Phone: 231-935-4305
- Fax: 231-392-8485
Coming Soon!
- Enhanced Risk Assessment: New mammography software will soon provide a lifetime breast cancer risk score for all patients following a screening mammogram. This score will be included in the Radiology report. We’ll notify you ahead of implementation.
- Streamlined Referrals: The High-Risk Breast Cancer Clinic will be added to standing conditional orders for mammograms to simplify the referral process.
