Nebraska Medicine Offers Expedited Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment with SONDA Program

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be a deeply stressful experience, often compounded by the anxiety of waiting for specialist appointments and answers. To address this, the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at Nebraska Medicine has implemented the Same- or Next-Day Appointments (SONDA) program, designed to provide recently diagnosed breast cancer patients with quicker access to expert care.

Easing Patient Anxiety with Rapid Access

“Our whole objective with launching the SONDA program is to ease our patients’ minds,” says Paige Harwell, MD, a breast surgical oncologist at Nebraska Medicine. Dr. Harwell explains that the delay between diagnosis and consultation can be a significant source of worry for patients. “Getting a breast cancer diagnosis can be extremely terrifying for a lot of women. They have so many questions and the thought of having to wait a week or 10 days to get those answered – it’s a long time to proceed down a rabbit hole.”

How the SONDA Program Works

The SONDA program allows patients to meet quickly with a breast cancer surgeon who can:

• Answer urgent questions.
• Explain the diagnosis in detail.
• Begin planning treatment options.
• Provide reassurance and a sense of direction.

Any patient diagnosed with breast cancer can request a same- or next-day appointment. Dr. Harwell emphasizes that there are no specific eligibility requirements. “I aim for everybody to know they should just question if they’re interested,” she says.

When scheduling an appointment, patients can choose between:

• A same- or next-day appointment with a breast cancer surgeon.
• A longer appointment at the multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic, where they can meet with several cancer specialists at once.

The scheduling staff will collect necessary information, including imaging results and biopsy reports.

Locations Offering the SONDA Program

The program is available at the following Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center locations:

• Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Village Pointe Health Center
• Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Nebraska Medical Center
• Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Bellevue Health Center

The Importance of Timely Treatment

Seeing a doctor quickly not only alleviates anxiety but can also impact treatment timelines. The Commission on Cancer recommends that breast cancer patients begin surgery within 60 days of diagnosis, and chemotherapy should start within 30 days for those who require it first.

“The sooner we can spot patients, the sooner we can get them definitive surgical care,” Dr. Harwell says. “Getting patients started on their treatment faster has been shown to improve their outcomes overall.”

Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Care

While the SONDA program provides rapid access to a surgeon, patients will still receive comprehensive care from a full cancer team. Cases are reviewed by surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists, as well as pathologists and radiologists, all collaborating to develop the best treatment plan.

“Patients will still need to meet with the rest of the team on a different day,” Dr. Harwell clarifies. “The purpose of the SONDA program is to get immediate answers to questions and alleviate anxiety, but you are still going to get that multidisciplinary care that breast cancer patients really need.”

Expertise at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center in Nebraska. The breast cancer program includes four fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologists, meaning they have completed specialized training in breast cancer surgery after their general surgery residency. The center also offers plastic surgeons specializing in breast reconstruction and strategies to reduce lymphedema risk.

Getting Started with SONDA

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer and are interested in a same- or next-day appointment, call 402.559.5600.