As the nation's first naval hospital that over the years has developed into a sprawling medical complex, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) provides the latest in medical care and keeps patient care a top priority by continuously adding programs, expanding spaces and incorporating new technologies.

The latest improvement is the completion of the Women's Imaging Center, or WIC, a space inclusive of the Mammography, Breast and Ultrasound clinics, which previously had been in separate areas. The Breast Clinic relocated to its new space within the Radiology Department during the final week of February, following the completion of the multi-year endeavor for the WIC.

The five-phase project for the WIC reached completion in December 2015 with a total cost of $12.1 million, construction costing $6.4 million and equipment installation costing $5.7 million. The project included renovations of multiple sub-departments within the radiology department, including the MRI suites, MRI seating and reception, administration and residents area, and the mammography, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine areas.

"This has been a major radiology renovation project that crossed every modality," said Joanne Griffin, radiology project manager. "The project was immediately divided into five phases to allow patient care to continue as seamlessly as possible during the construction process."

According to Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Almond, NMCP facilities manager, discussions for the WIC began after the radiology department recognized the need for improved breast care for the Hampton Roads community.

"Breast MRIs and biopsies are complex and time-consuming to perform," Almond said. "Before the WIC, NMCP was unable to meet the demand for breast MRI exams and biopsies due to other MRI demands."

Now, NMCP will better meet patients' needs with the addition of new dedicated breast MRI equipment and 3D breast tomosynthesis equipment.

"We have all of the latest technology and skill level at our fingertips to be able to customize patients' care," said Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Oxner, Breast Clinic division head. "We're now in a position where the patient only has to go across the hall versus to a different location. The ease for the patient is better and instead of worrying about things like making their next appointment, the can focus on themselves and their family."

The center offers comprehensive care for women in the Hampton Roads community, treating a variety of breast conditions such as pain, cysts, infections, and cancerous and noncancerous diseases. Services include medical imaging and biopsies using mammography, ultrasound or MRI, cancer treatment, pathology, surgery and radiation therapy. Breast cancer risk assessments are also offered for those with a family history of breast cancer.

The center also offers patients the benefits of nurse navigators who act as a resource to patients and their families, helping them navigate through their treatment by setting up appointments and proactively collaborating with providers and departments.

"The nurse navigators can give patients the attention they need, especially if they're facing a new diagnosis as scary as breast cancer, and let the patient focus on themselves and their family," Oxner said. "This kind of customer service for the patient is something we're able to provide that most military installations can't unless they have a setup like this."

With the new setup, NMCP provides patients the ability to have a mammography, ultrasound, biopsy or any additional follow-up care, such as meeting with a surgeon, within the same suite.

Patients aren't the only ones benefitting from the completion of the WIC. According to Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Miller, lead interpreting physician for the Mammography Clinic, the co-location of the different clinics will allow more collaboration during the treatment process.

"It helps us work even more as a team," Miller said. "It makes it a lot easier to communicate."

Though the WIC is officially complete and construction has ended, positive changes in women's health are continually happening at NMCP. The Mammogram While You Wait Program offers walk-in mammogram screenings to patients already at the medical center. Looking forward, Oxner hopes to expand the WIC into a fully comprehensive breast center and receive accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.

Throughout nearly 200 years of patient care, NMCP has experienced many changes in its efforts for constant improvement. With innovative projects such as the WIC, NMCP's continues to support the medical center's motto of "First and Finest" while providing the best in customer experience.

For more news from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, visit http://www.navy.mil/.