USF Breast Health

Breast Navigator

     A Breast Health Navigator is a health care professional who is knowledgeable about breast diseases, and provides educational information and support to all breast health patients. They are invaluable to patients and families seeking resources for treatment and recovery. A breast health navigator’s role is outlined as follows:

• An educational and emotional consultant for patients with malignant or benign breast diseases.
• A supporter of the breast cancer patient and family, understanding and coping with the strong emotions that accompany a breast cancer diagnosis. They remain a constant caregiver and overseer of the patient’s educational, emotional and social needs.
• A provider of educational resources for the patient and family, to answer their questions and address their fears during the breast cancer experience.
• A facilitator of physicians’ recommendations for patient care to help ensure patient compliance and understanding.
• An educator that provides the facts—not opinions and treatment advice, which is the role of the physicians. They explain advantages and disadvantages and leaves final decisions to the patient and their physician.
• A triage manager in assessing patients’ educational and social needs, identifying healthcare barriers and appropriately referring to proper sources of additional help.
• A group leader and facilitator of support groups for patients, their support partners and family.
• An educator for other medical personnel in understanding treatment of benign and malignant diseases and the patient’s emotional and social recovery from the disease.
• A public educator on the early detection of breast disease and breast self-exam skills.
• A researcher, knowledgable of the latest information on changes in breast health and breast cancer care to help keep staff and physicians up-to-date.

          Please feel free to contact our breast health navigator. Not only will you get information on educational and community support resources, but they will also be able to assess your needs for things like wigs, camisoles, bra prostheses, swimsuits, and other needed items. If you are experiencing financial difficulty during treatment, some of these items may be given for free, because of the efforts of Hooked on Hope, an organization dedicated solely to Dr. Charles E. Cox and the USF Breast Health Program.

Theresa Winsey, RT, (R) (M) ARRT

Patient Clinical Navigator, Cancer Services

Florida Hospital, Tampa Bay

3000 Medical Park Drive, Suite 100

Tampa, Florida 33613

Main: (813) 615-7121

Cell: (813) 781-0721

Fax: (813) 615-8110

TWinsey@mail.uch.org