To make the most of your appointment with Dr. Holmes, it is helpful that you come fully prepared. Please download the following checklist to see how you should prepare for your appointment. If you are unable to obtain the some of the information listed below, please let us know and we will help you obtain them. Download a copy of the checklist.
Questions: Prepare your list of questions before your appointment and bring them with you to make sure that you do not forget to ask about specific things you want to know.
Companion: Bring A Family Member or Friend to provide emotional support, an extra pair of ears, and an aid to help you write down things that you learn during your appointment.
Family History: Learn about your family history of cancer. The history of cancer among female and male relatives and their age of diagnosis might influence the advice that you receive. Ask your parents and/or siblings if they know of any cancers among immediate or distant blood relatives that you might not be aware. Write them down, including the approximate age of diagnosis, and bring the list with you. Please use the attached form to record the information.
List of Doctors: Please bring a list of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all of the doctors who care for you so that Dr. Holmes can discuss your care with them and provide them a copy of his records. Please include the contact information for your primary care doctor, gynecologist, internist, family practitioners, surgeons, etc. Please provide their complete name (first and last), office mailing address (including suite #), office phone and fax numbers, and email addresses if you can get them. Please use the attached form to record the information.
General Questionnaire: To make your visit more efficient, please complete the attached health questionnaire before your visit. Please bring the completed health questionnaire with you for your first appointment with Dr. Holmes.
Mammograms: Bring your Mammograms Images and Printed mammogram reports from your mammograms performed over the last 3-5 years. Most Mammography or Breast centers will give you your mammogram images and reports on a Compact Disc (CD) or DVD. Other centers may give you your mammograms as large pieces of plastic film (see example below).
It is best that you hand-carry your mammogram images or CD to ensure their safe arrival to Dr. Holmes’ office. However, you may have your mammograms films and reports sent directly to Dr. Holmes in advance of your appointment by UPS or FEDEX. Remember to obtain a tracking number.
Ultasounds: Bring your Ultrasound Images and reports from your ultrasounds performed over the last 3-5 years. Most Imaging or Breast Centers will give you your ultrasound images and reports on a Compact Disc (CD) or DVD. Other centers may give you your ultrasound as large pieces of plastic film (see example below).
It is best that you hand-carry your ultrasound images or CD to ensure their safe arrival to Dr. Holmes’ office. However, you may have your ultrasound films and reports sent directly to Dr. Holmes in advance of your appointment by UPS or FEDEX. Remember to obtain a tracking number.
Pathology Slides: If you have already undergone a biopsy of your breast, Dr. Holmes will want to review a copy of your pathology report.
If you ultimately decide to have your breast surgery with Dr. Holmes, he will also want to review the actual pathology slides that contain the tissue that was removed from your breast so that the diagnosis can be confirmed by a breast pathologist.
Pathology slides are small, rectangular pieces of glass on which thin slices of your breast tissue have been applied (see example below). Please ask the office or lab that interpreted your pathology results to give you some of your slides for independent review. Two (2) to five (5) glass slides are usually placed in a small plastic box or cardboard tray to protect them from breakage.
It is best that you hand-carry the box of slides to ensure their safe arrival. However, you may also have them sent directly to Dr. Holmes in advance of your appointment using UPS or FEDEX. Remember to obtain a tracking number.
Caution about Blood Thinners: If a new or second breast problem is discovered during your visit with Dr. Holmes, it is sometimes necessary to perform a needle biopsy of the breast during your visit. To reduce the risk of bleeding from the wound during or after a needle biopsy, it is best that you stop taking aspirin, fish oil, and Ibuprofen-containing medications (e.g., Advil and Motrin) at least 5 before your appointment. These drugs may thin the blood and increase the risk of bleeding or bruising.
Do Not stop taking Plavix, Coumadin (Warfarin), Fragmin, or other oral or injectable prescription blood-thinning medications. If you are on one of these prescription blood thinners and if a breast biopsy is needed, Dr. Holmes will coordinate with your prescribing doctor the proper timing for discontinuing and resuming these medications.
Mail / Delivery Address: Please mail or courier your images and/or pathology slides to Dr. Holmes’ office. Please call our office to obtain the correct delivery location where your records should be sent/delivered. Please remember to obtain a tracking number for all express mail deliveries. We recommend using certified mail or Priority mail for all U.S. Postal deliveries.
