Dr. James Clanahan

Learn why Dr. Clanahan is so passionate about Memorial’s Breast Health Center.


Meet Dr. James Clanahan, medical director of the Breast Health Center of Excellence.

Why did you choose to practice medicine?

It is all Dr. Clanahan ever wanted to do. He remembers as a young child when doctors made house calls. The doctor would come by to see his grandma, and after he came, there was a sigh of relief.

Talk about why you became medical director.

Lincoln Surgical had been pushing for a larger breast presence on the campus due to the community need. They thought if they could dedicate a surgeon to the Breast Health Center, it would help direct care in a more integrated fashion.

How does integrating care impact your patients?

A lot of time women understand they need surgery, but often they need more than surgery. It is a team of physicians who take care of a patient with breast cancer. The treatment needs to be delivered in such a way that it is seamless. When his patient goes to see the medical oncologist, he has already talked to the oncologist about the patients, so they can all make decisions together. It isn’t unusual to not make a treatment recommendation until they’ve been able to discuss it as a multidisciplinary group. Integration basically means being able to bring all these disciplines together to provide patients with the best treatment.

What is the overall goal of the Breast Health Center?

What they are trying to do is show the community they’ve received this excellent care for a long time, and now the Breast Health Center can provide care in a multidisciplinary, integrated fashion. In addition, patients can have care here at home and be comfortable at home.