As the Director of Oncology at HCA Florida Ocala, I've witnessed firsthand how the combination of innovative technology and dedicated healthcare teams can transform patient outcomes. When we launched our high-risk women's program in 2023, I served as project manager, coordinating the implementation of the Ambry CARE Program® (CARE) across our health system. What began as a strategic initiative has evolved into something far more meaningful—a program that can literally save lives.
The Power of Personalized, Proactive Healthcare
For decades, the standard breast cancer screening process remained largely unchanged. Patients would complete paper questionnaires about their personal and family cancer histories, which radiologists would reference when interpreting mammogram results. The information was valuable, but we weren't fully leveraging it to identify those at elevated risk.
CARE and the Ambry team have been instrumental in helping us transform this passive data collection into an active risk stratification program, supported by robust downstream clinical workflows. It's the integration of this technology with our clinical workflows, as well as our team's commitment to patient-centered care that has made the real difference.
Now, the same patient-provided information is analyzed to calculate lifetime breast cancer risk scores and to determine if patients meet criteria for genetic testing.
Christina's Story: Detection Before Symptoms
The true impact of our program is best illustrated through Christina's experience. At 54 years old, with a strong family history of breast cancer (her mother passed away at 45), Christina came to us for a routine screening mammogram—her first at our facility.
Her mammogram was negative, categorized as BIRADS-1 (completely normal) with average tissue density. Under traditional protocols, she would simply return the following year for her annual screening. However, through CARE, Christina qualified for genetic testing based on her family history of cancer and was offered digital education. This plus the supportive mammography clinic team made her feel ready to pursue genetic testing.
She tested positive for a mutation in the BRCA2 gene, which significantly elevates her risk of breast and other cancers. Following consultation with our genetics nurse practitioner and a breast specialist, Christina chose to undergo prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. What happened next surprised us all.
The pathology report from her surgery revealed breast cancer in her left breast—cancer that wasn't detected on her recent mammogram. Had Christina followed the traditional screening regimen and waited until her next annual appointment, her prognosis could have been dramatically different.
"I'm so grateful for HCA and the Ambry CARE Program," Christina shared. "I'm grateful for the extra years I may be able to spend with my children and, hopefully someday, grandchildren because of the proactive healthcare choices I've been able to make."
The Human Element of High-Risk Care
While the technology behind the CARE program is impressive, it's the human connections formed through our high-risk program that truly define its success. Our team of mammography techs, radiologists, nurse practitioners, and specialists work collaboratively to ensure each patient receives personalized care and support throughout their journey.
For Christina, this meant having compassionate professionals guide her through the emotional process of receiving a positive genetic test result and making difficult decisions about preventive surgery. The technology identified her risk and provided education to help her feel ready, but our team's expertise and empathy helped her navigate the path forward.
Looking Forward
Christina's family members, including her son and two oldest daughters, are now pursuing genetic testing to understand their own cancer risks. This ripple effect of proactive healthcare is precisely what we hoped to achieve when establishing our high-risk program.
Programs like ours are demonstrating that we can fundamentally change our approach to cancer care—shifting from reactively treating cancer to proactively identifying and managing risk. This transformation requires both advanced technology and healthcare teams willing to adapt their workflows and processes to better serve patients. For patients like Christina, this collaborative approach isn't just a healthcare improvement; it's potentially lifesaving.
As we continue developing our program, I'm reminded daily of why this work matters. Behind every risk score and genetic test is a person with hopes, dreams, and loved ones counting on them. By partnering with Ambry and committing to excellence in patient care, we're giving our patients their best chance at a healthy future.
