Breast Health Center at CPMC

Update based on billing:
I now understand the other postings about billing. There are some processes that CPMC needs to fine tune; I preregistered and paid the portion my insurance would not cover, about $ 620 and thought that was the extent of the billing.
I received a separate bill from California Advanced Imaging, which I paid over the phone, about $ 200 and thought that was the extent of the billing and was told that my original payment of about $ 620 was not applied to my account, which was resolved.
then I receive another bill from CPMC, which I thought I paid for when I preregistered, for about $ 200.
My complaint is the calls I made and not understanding that CPMC works with a separate institution that also bills. I wouldn’t have paid any $$ when I preregistered if I knew I would receive two snail mail bills that I usually don’t get to right away and having to call twice and going through my EOBs to try to figure out why. Next time I am not going to pay up front and just take care of payment in one step to each billing institution.
I still think the medical facility is fantastic.

Just came back from my Friday appointment for a mammo and ultrasound. I brought my kindle and was ready to wait. I think I only got through 2 pages. Service was so quick. I checked in, filled out some paperwork, then got called for the mammo. Waited a few minutes while the tech checked with doc, then got the ultrasound done. I was so impressed with the efficiency. My technologist, I believe her name was Sonia, was very smooth with the exam. And with the digital mammo technology, the compression was not painful at all. Thankfully my lump wasn’t causing a ton of pain either. I also met with a radiologist, who was nice and explained the results well. Another procedure is recommended for me, and it’s scheduled for next week. I’m so glad that all the testing is done so quickly. I’m a young lady in her 30s and boob stuff if not benign is aggressive for young people. So I’m very grateful that things are moving along quickly. Just wished my insurance picked up more of the cost, but to get care this quickly and with kindness and efficiency, I can’t ask for more.

I get my boobilicious checked out every year to ensure that they are always boobilicious. All the technicians and clerks are always friendly, sympathetic and as gentle as can be. Gentle doesn’t mean it’s pain free, it means, they will gently guide booblicious into a modern MEDIEVAL CONTRAPTION THAT WILL SQUASH YOUR BOOBILICIOUS INTO A SHAPE OF A TOASTED WAFFLE. It takes about 3 – 5 seconds to get the photo but it’s the longest 3 – 5 seconds squeeze one will ever experience. Meditation, breathing in/​out, holding your breath and thinking happy thoughts will NOT HELP. It-​just-​hurts-​badly! And be prepared to hurt 4x’s per boobilicious. They squish you this way and that way and this and that. So, it’s OUCH, OUch, Ouch, ouch. Then OUCH, OUch, Ouch, ouch.
OUCH!
NOTES:
Free parking at residential area. Register, then go to 2^nd floor to half naked and screened. In and out of there in 30 minutes. If you they require a consult after the screening, it’ll take 35 – 40 minutes.

Here’s how NOT to treat anxious women who are worried they have breast cancer: have them show up to an appointment time decided on by you, make them get undressed and sit in hospital gowns in a crowded waiting room for 1.5−2 hours, and then refuse to let them leave during that waiting time to get a snack, something to drink, or to pay their parking meter. Real kind and compassionate as usual, Sutter.

Their medical service is fine. Their billing service is impossible! They never answer their phones, put you on hold. They send bills that are understandable and you cannot reach anyone to explain them. Don’t do business with them if you have a choice

Boy, oh boy. Like one of the other reviewers, I wish that I could rate the medical side and the billing side separately. The nurses and physicians were overall quite good, as I’ve heard from MDs that I work with (I am a PhD who works in breast cancer research). Unfortunately, the billing side left me in tears. After having an ultrasound, the physician felt that I should come back for a biopsy, which I did. However, after a round table consultation, we decided against a biopsy for now and will stick with more intense screening, every 6 months. The problem is that I actually paid the deductible and co-​pay (close to $ 600) for the biopsy and lab tests, and they won’t refund me my money after numerous phone calls. Buyer beware. Although I would give the MDs, nurses, and technicians 4 stars, this experience was worthy of 1 star.

Love this place the ladies that work here are always so nice and kind appointments always run on time for the most part super clean and bright !

OMG that was the easiest appointment ever! I was so anxious for some reason to have this test. Everyone was so nice, so efficient and it didn’t hurt at all. Sonia was my tech and she is great at her job, made it super comfortable and easy breezy. Wish all doc appointments were this simple, efficient and caring.

The staff, technicians, and doctor on the second floor were so friendly, organized and accommodating. They are very knowledgeable and made the experience flawless. I had another appointment that I needed to run to at 3700 California St, next building over, and they helped me to get to my next appointment on time. I will definitely return to this office for my next mammogram exam and definitely recommend this location to all that need to have their exams.

Beware! If you come here and need a follow up they’ll charge you 10x the going rate. There will be no warning. Fortunately I did my homework in advance.
Then if you try to get your referral to another facility in your insurance company’s network, they’ll «lose» the paperwork, saying they never got the request.
Always go in person and insist on taking any films, referrals etc on paper yourself. They want to make it as hard as possible to go elsewhere.
I am never going back to any Sutter Health network facility/​doctor if I can help it.
They should be called $$utter Heath.

I wish I could rate the medical side and the billing/​business side separately. I’d give the medical side a 5. They are kind, efficient and very good at what they do. Due to a prior history of breast cancer I get a diagnostic mammogram every year and they get my results to me usually within 30 minutes of the mammogram. All technicians are well trained, friendly and professional.
Now for the billing/​business side. In the good old days, you could just call for an appointment Now, you can’t even get one until they have your doctor’s order in hand. Plus, they make you «pre-​register» when you make your appointment, which means you wait on on the phone until some account person in Sacramento finally picks up and decides what you will owe. Then you have to pay it up front when you get there. I told the phone and in-​person representatives that my insurance company would not require me to pay anything. They disagreed and charged me $ 350 up front. Since I was correct and have proof from my insurance, I am now in the process of trying to get a refund. It will take at least two weeks from when I called for them to process the request. I have asked them to annotate my record so I don’t have to go through this every year. We’ll see if that works.
Also, they used to send a confirming letter about a week before the appointment. Apparently to save costs they’ve stopped doing this. So now you get no reminder whatsoever, by mail, phone or email. Had I known this I would’ve been more careful to write the info. down. I had to call them and confirm my appointment time, which I am sure happens often now that they have cut back on their customer service.
How I long for the old days before Sutter Health became more interested in money than happy patients. I used to have a very favorable impression of the BHC, now I dread my interactions with the business staff.

I recently called them with a question about lab results and they immediately put me in touch with a nurse (Sara) who was able to explain everything clearly. She also offered to call my doctor. Thanks for the peace of mind!

Have been here a few times for mammogram and ultrasound. I’ve gotta say, the staff couldn’t be nicer and the facility more convenient. They are on top of keeping you healthy even when you forget.
5 stars and a shout out to Sohnia, the radiology technologist I saw today, who was personable, efficient and above all — gentle. She made uncomfortable procedures tolerable and is really great at what she does. Thanks Sohnia!

As a medical professional I an acutely aware of the customer service side of care
The CPMC breast health center is consistently a positive experience
Fortunately I have not had the stress of needing a high level of care but each year when I return for screening mammography the staff is cordial professional and always appropriate
Fingers crossed this will always be my experience
They run on time and one can even be seen on a Saturday ! A great option for a full time working parent
Keep up the good work !

Great place for a mammogram. The staff were super friendly and very courteous and helpful. The whole process was efficient — no languishing in a waiting room. It was a great experience– as these things go!

I have had several visits to the center for breast ultrasounds, and they are wonderful. The office is always clean & comfortable. The employees are friendly. there’s an area where you change your clothes and put your things into a locker, it’s very warm & comfortable. The utrasound techs are skilled, and the have a radiologist look at your scans that day and come talk to you, whether your results were normal or suspicious.
If you do have something suspicious going on, they have a woman who can help explain everything that will happen next, help you schedule appointments etc.
I only had one strange experience here. I went in for a follow up ultrasound that my doctor ordered. And within 2 minutes of changing, I was brought down a long hall to a room with a mammogram machine and told to take my top off and stand over there. I said I was there for an ultrasound, not a mammogram. And I was told because I had just turned 30, they do them routinely for all patients over 30 who come in for any issue.
I had a very painful infection and an open wound in my breast from a recent surgery. i was not about to let them crush my breasts for a mammogram, when I was way past that stage. It made no sense to me and I told her i didn’t want it. She seemed offended and told me I’d have to go wait another 30 minutes for my ultrasound appointment.
Otherwise, all the staff have been wonderful and supportive. The doctor that did my biopsy was so gentle I didn’t feel a thing.

If I have to get my breast squeezed, I want the staff at CPMC to handle them. The staff are friendly and professional. I never seem to have to wait long and I’m always able to get an appointment when it’s that time of the year. Even the waiting room is pleasant to sit in while you wait for the eventual compression.
I love how the tech tells me to lie on the machine like Cleopatra. The things they do to get me in the right position.

My review is based on cost alone. I recently had a mammogram here, and they charged me over $ 1159 for one mammogram — it took less than an hour. WTF?
My PPO insurance paid $ 788, and now I have to pay $ 371 out of pocket. That is ridiculous, and I’m ticked off about it.
The staff and facilities were great and I was happy with the experience. I just don’t see how they can charge so much for a mammogram. Highway robbery!

For many years I have always been very pleased with the care and service I receive at the Breast Health Center at CPMC.
I’m always able to get an appointment when needed. As soon as you walk through the front door, you’re greeted by a staff that is friendly, courteous and professional. This extends not only from the lady at the reception desk, but also to the Registration staff, the lady who collects your paperwork in the waiting area, and the techs who perform your mammogram. Their process is extremely efficient and I’m usually finished with my appointment within 15 minutes. They will even take you earlier than your scheduled appointment. They have nice, roomy lockers to store your personal items, and you’re given the cotton cloth gowns to change in to. None of that paper stuff.
While undergoing your mammogram, the tech always assures that you are positioned properly and comfortable as she compresses your breasts between the plate and the clear plexiglass. For added comfort you can enjoy the soothing backdrop of a beautiful meadow with rolling grassy hills and blooming flowers or the serenity of a mystical green forest as your breasts are being pressed. I have to admit that ever since the switch to digital mammography, it’s not quite as painful. They are very patient and thorough, and I never feel rushed. When the procedure is completed they always inform you that results should be received within 10 days.
This past year I was informed by the Breast Health Center of abnormal mammogram findings, and they did a wonderful job of managing the issue. I was informed promptly, within a week, from my initial screening and I was scheduled for follow up imaging within two days. The Breast Health Nurse Educator sat down with me and patiently explained the follow up findings and what procedure I had to undergo for further testing. She provided me with names of breast surgeons to choose from, and after making my choice she even called the doctor’s office and made the consultation appointment for me, which was scheduled in two days! Definitely five-​star service!
As it turned out, I met an amazing breast surgeon who did a magnificent job, and everything was a success!
A big THANK YOU to the Breast Health Center for your excellent care and service!!!
Ladies, please remember to get your mammograms done!

The good news is that mammograms aren’t as painful as they used to be — I guess the machinery has evolved. So don’t delay, ladies… if your doc has given you a brightly colored piece o’paper that says you should get your breasts squeezed in a vise grip, go do it.
AND PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY THEY ARE DOING AT CPMC TO HELP PREVENT/​DIAGNOSE BREAST CANCER. They will draw a small amount of blood and take an extra 5 minutes out of your life. I discovered on a recent visit that only 12% of the 46,000 women a year who come to the Breast Health Center agree to participate. TAKE 5 MINUTES AND VISIT THE LONELY PHLEBOTOMIST AT THE END OF THE HALL.
/​PSA