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16 Hartford Business Journal • October 28, 2019 • www.HartfordBusiness.com to provide for patients. Doctors at the center also have access to 3D mammography, ultrasounds, MRIs, chemotherapy and labs for onsite testing. "Breast cancer and its treatment is becoming more and more individualized each year," Dr. Zarfos points out. "We can test the genetic makeup of the cancer cells, and we can consult with the other providers to decide what the best method will be." As part of this multidisciplinary approach to cancer care, patients receive a tailor made treatment plan to meet their individual needs. They have access to specialized oncologists, state-of-the-art clinical trials when applicable, and a disease specific care team through the Smilow Cancer Hospital also located on the Saint Francis main campus. "It's really about wanting to earn your trust. It's a priority of the Comprehensive Women's Health Center, of the Hoffman Breast Health Center, of the team of breast surgeons I work alongside, Dr. Edward White, Dr. Whitney Young, and Dr. Christine Rizk, and of the entire team of providers within the center, who collectively set the bar high. Each of us wants to be treated as an individual, as a whole person," says Dr. Zarfos, "and if I step back as a woman, as a patient, I would say to myself, 'this hospital really cares about me'." Mind, body and spirit At the Comprehensive Women's Health Center, integrative medicine — which takes the whole patient and her lifestyle into account — helps patients on their healing journey, comforting them through cancer or guiding them toward optimal wellness. The center's modalities include massage therapy, art therapy, energy therapy, meditation, acupuncture and reflexology. Sharon O'Brien is founder and program director of the Center of Integrative Medicine at Saint Francis, as well as the Comprehensive Women's Health Center's assistant director. Unique programs are offered in both group setting and one-on-one so that they are tailored to the needs of the patient, explained O'Brien. She went on to say that physician-guided stress management, classes in how to heal faster after surgery, sessions on healing through music and drumming circles are just a few of the programs which bring together patients who are going through similar health challenges. Additionally, the center's serene, spa-like atmosphere, aesthetic beauty, and thoughtful touches add to the all-encompassing mission to ease the patient's overall experience. A place where instead of just being handed a hospital gown, patients have warm robes to help them feel comfortable and secure as they are escorted from various exam or treatment rooms within the center— a far cry from the typical medical setting. Where a myriad of elements of comprehensive care come together to form a successful model, the center's main goal is simple, said Bailey. "Women are known to put everyone around them first, letting their own needs fall by the wayside. We understand that and feel it is incredibly important to provide a way to make it easier for women to take care of themselves," said Bailey. "We are constantly assessing, growing, looking at evolving needs, addressing them as they develop and as research warrants, all in order to continue to be the top choice in women's health care in the region." ● SPONSORED CONTENT Pictured from left to right in the Comprehensive Women's Health Center patient registration lobby, members of the gynecologic oncology team Dr. Melissa Henretta; physician assistant Laura Kozol; Dr. Philp Roland, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of Women's and Infants Services; Dr. Erin Harnett; Dr. Allan Mayer; and Dr. Karyn Hansen. Members of Comprehensive Women's Health Center's team of fellowship- trained breast surgeons, Dr. Christine Rizk and Dr. Whitney Young. Dr. Christine Rizk Dr. Whitney Young