In April 2014, I had the opportunity to attend the 15th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.  As a patient advocate, it was an honor to attend this conference and see firsthand the incredible work that breast surgeons are doing to advance to role of survivorship planning, shared decision making, and quality and safety for all patients.

I had the chance to interview 3 leading surgeons at the event:

Dr. Peter Beitsch – Dr. Beitsch shares his thoughts on the surgeon’s role in survivorship planning.  He feels strongly that surgeons can take a more direct role in a patient’s treatment journey.

Dr. Hiram Cody:   Dr. Cody discussed the the concept of shared decision making and how it empowers the patient and fosters collaboration between the patient’s entire care team.

Dr. Judy Boughey:  Dr. Boughey provides a nice overview of the topics covered at the conference including breast conservation surgery, patient empowerment, shared decision making, patient engagement and the special relationship that patients have with their surgeons.  Breast surgery is a complex field that is improving every year.

Thank you ASBrS. You have given me hope. There is much work ahead, but I know that patients and surgeons can work together to improve the lives of breast cancer survivors everywhere.  Thank you for including patients in your meetings.

Everyone I met at the ASBrS Conference was inspiring, energizing, compassionate, collaborative, and respectful.  Thank you for leading the way in patient engagement and shared decision making.  The breast cancer community is grateful for your work.