The Kuakini Breath Health Institute has opened its doors at Kuakini Medical Plaza, offering a comprehensive range of services, from specialized screenings to diagnosis, surgery, treatment, and monitoring.
Dr. Ashley Marumoto, breast surgical oncologist, will be overseeing the institute, which aims to offer breast cancer patients comprehensive services in one place.
“Breast cancer is treated by multiple specialties: surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist,” said Marumoto, the institute’s medical director, in a news release. “And sometimes coordinating those features of care can be really complex for patients while they are trying to digest their new diagnosis. The concept of a breast program is bringing all those together, even if they’re not within the same institution, making it seamless to go through the system for the patient.”
A patient navigator will help guide patients through the complexities of treatment, said Marumoto, who was inspired by her specialized fellowship at the Saul and Joyce Brandman Breast Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
“We have really great
doctors here,” she said, “and what I wanted to build was a place where patients could seamlessly move through the system.”
The institute is also offering genetic testing, and reaching out to neighbor isles to explore how collaboration could offer patients there more access to specialized care.
“Treatments are getting more advanced and they’re changing all the time,” said Marumoto. “So (patients) should talk to their doctor about what’s new in the field.”
According to the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the state.
A recent study by the America Cancer Society found a rising trend in cases in almost all Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander ethnic groups. Native Hawaiian women have the highest breast cancer incidence rate among the groups, and 27% higher than white women. Survival rates, however, are also
increasing.
Marumoto said she welcomes the opening of UH Cancer Center’s Ho‘ola Early Phase Clinical Research Center, which offers qualified patients access to treatments here in Hawaii.
“Our long term strategy is to work with independent physicians to really give people in Hawaii choice and access to high-quality care,” KHS President and CEO Gregg Oishi in the release. “The breast health institute really is an important step in that direction. Supporting Dr. Marumoto’s expertise here at Kuakini really helps us build a center of care around the needs of patients.”
Dr. Jason Fleming, KHS chief medical officer, added,“When it comes to cancer care, time is of the essence. How fast you can get treatment makes all the difference. The faster you can see your specialist, the faster you can have your diagnostic procedures, your curative procedures, the better the outcomes. We’ve decided to launch this program, partner with the best surgeon we can find, and bring that care to Hawaii’s people.”
The Kuakini Breast Health Institute is at Kuakini Medical Plaza at 321 N. Kuakini St., and will be open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. To reach the institute, call 808-500-0388 or email BreastHealth@kuakini.org.
The nonprofit Kuakini Health System, the only independent hospital in Hawaii, operates Kuakini Medical Center, Kuakini Geriatric Care Inc., Kuakini Foundation, and Kuakini Support Services Inc.
