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DeFusco, Patricia A., MD

Title
Medical Director, Breast Program, Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute

Gender

Female


Language

English

Providing the best care to our patients and their companions requires communicating in a way everyone understands. Interpreter services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. All spoken languages are available, as well as American Sign Language (AS/L).


Specialties
Accepting New Patients
  • Medical Oncology

Areas of Expertise
Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Clinical Trials, Breast Cancer Management, Breast Cancer Research, Breast Cancer Risk Assessment, Breast Cancer Survivorship

Hospitals and Organizations

  • Hartford HealthCare Medical Group
  • Integrated Care Partners
  • MidState Medical Center
  • The Hospital of Central Connecticut
  • Hartford Hospital

Education

Fellowship
Mayo Clinic ‐ Medical Oncology

Internship
Hartford Hospital ‐ Internal Medicine

Medical School
Boston University School of Medicine

Residency
Hartford Hospital ‐ Advanced Internal Medicine

Reviews

Verified Patient Reviews

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. DeFusco is the most highly professional Doctor I have ever encountered. She isExtremely methodical in her approach And answers my concerns. She is amazing.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco has been my oncologist since 2016. I'm alive due to her care and thoroughness

5 out of 5 stars

Would love to recommend her but she will not be there to accept new patients.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. DeFusco is wonderful. I feel very fortunate to have her as my provider.

5 out of 5 stars

I have been a patient of Patricia DeFusco MD for years. She is superior in all ways and truly cares for her patients-discusses all aspects of their condition.

5 out of 5 stars

I wish there was a category for exceptional.Pat Defusco is a skilled and compassionate and MD beyond measure.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco is an excellent physician.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco was exceptional. Her explanations were detailed, while at the same time understandable. She is compassionate and a very skilled communicator. I am confident that I am getting the very best care and her full attention and respect.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco is the epitome of a good doctor!

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco is one of the most thorough, compassion, caring, knowledgeable physicians I have ever known. She takes the time to explain and answer questions and I feel extremely fortunate to have had her to guide me through the last 20 years.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, highly professional, extremely knowledgeable physician with the highest standards. Dr. De Fusco will be retiring, I assume, because the system is chaotic, teamwork non-existent and the company who runs this and other practices is only interested in profit rather than doctor's qualifications and patient care. I am very unhappy and will miss her integrity and straightforward manner, especially after 16 years. I'm sure that under the present circumstances and constraints, she feels cannot do her best.

5 out of 5 stars

Caring and compassionate provider. Truly cares for her patients and makes you feel heard.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco is an incredibly gifted provider. I'm so thankful for her skill and care

5 out of 5 stars

Dr Defusco is the best!

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. DeFusco is an excellent physician, mine since 1989! Sorry, she is retiring, but she deserves it.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. DeFusco goes over, and beyond being thorough. She even called in a referral, and I was seen within days.

5 out of 5 stars

As I am sure you know, Dr. DeFusco is a gem. No one has ever given me a better physical or shown more concern for my health. If only every doctor could be as good or caring as Dr. DeFusco.

5 out of 5 stars

I love Dr. DeFusco - I wish her joy in her retirement.

5 out of 5 stars

It was as always a very positive, supportive visit.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. DeFusco listens and is concern to every small detail if I have issues. She makes sure her patients are living a good quality of life.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. Patricia DeFusco has been an excellent caring physician throughout my cancer treatment. She is compassionate and keeps me informed on treatment options. I don't know what I would have done without her.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco has been exceptional over the last 20 years. She will be very difficult to replace. She has always gone "above and beyond" in treating me. I feel that she has been a friend who truly looks out for my breast health and my health in general.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. Defusco is a very thorough physician. She is always able to listen to my concerns

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. DeFusco is an excellent physician.

5 out of 5 stars

I always recommend Dr DeFisco and her staff

5 out of 5 stars

Can not recommend, she is retiring

5 out of 5 stars

Dr DeFusco is one of the best doctors I have ever had. She is amazing.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr Defusco is an extraordinary MD. She will be missed.

5 out of 5 stars

Dr De Fusco is excellent.

5 out of 5 stars

I have been a patient of Dr DeFusco for 17+ years. She is the most compassionate, caring and skilled practioner I have ever had the good fortune to have been referred to.


Other Reviews from Around the Web

5 out of 5 stars

I met with Dr. Defusco for a follow up appointment . She was very thorough in her examination. I felt comfortable asking her questions about my treatment. She is very professional and knowledgeable in her field. She has many years of experience that should be bottled and shared with new doctors in the field.

5 out of 5 stars

I was so very lucky to find Dr. DeFusco. She is everything you would want in an oncologist - intelligence, compassion, the ability to listen and the motivation to stay on top of new developments in treatment. She gave me positive energy from my first visit.

5 out of 5 stars

The best doctor ever.

5 out of 5 stars

Kind, compassionate and extremely thorough!

5 out of 5 stars

No one compares to Dr. DeFusco. She has been my oncologist for over 16 years -what does that tell you? She is thorough, honest, and straight forward about ALL aspects of her patient’s health. I trust her completely.

5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding care and compassion!

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. DeFusco is the best! She listens and truly cares about her patients. I strongly suggest if you have or had cancer she is the Dr. to go to

5 out of 5 stars

i LOVE dr. defusco. she has been a gem, a security blanket through my journey.

Bio

My name is Dr. Patricia DeFusco; I have been in clinical practice caring for women with breast cancer for over 30 years. I have always believed that medicine is a profession not a job. The relationship between a physician and a patient is a partnership characterized by trust, compassion, empathy and education. These elements are essential as women (and men) with breast cancer face their diagnosis with the whole range of emotions ranging from terror to acceptance and that initial response needs to be understood, accepted and validated to move on to the specifics of treatments and interventions.

It is the art of medicine for the physician to meet a patient and to try to understand what that particular patient’s experience of her (or his) cancer diagnosis is. Each patient brings their individual personality, their family history, their current social context, their concerns about their partner, their children, about work, school, the future to each visit.

I have been involved in seeing patients with the spectrum of breast issues for many years. Getting to know each patient as an individual is important to me. I always try to integrate details of their life into our visits, trying to truly think about their individual concerns, to find solutions based driven by data, but also on what strategy might work best for that individual at that time.

I have had the privilege of working with hundreds of women (and some men) on their breast cancer journeys. They have taught me about life’s priorities, about joy and fear, about sadness and acceptance, about spirituality and resilience and so very much more.

I am now embarking on my new role as Director of the Breast Program for Hartford HealthCare. My goals are to create a common standard across the hospitals in the Hartford Healthcare system so that no matter where a patient enters the system, she (or he) will be offered the same standard of care. I hope to specifically work on establishing a strong survivor-ship program, implementing our Risk Assessment and Surveillance program and fostering the implementation of new technology. Guiding these efforts will be the additional goal of establishing metrics and evaluating outcomes. I hope to strengthen and grow our existing teams, especially in breast surgery and medical oncology. I hope to integrate the experiences which my patients have so graciously shared with me as we grow current programs and create new programs that can improve the journey for all the patients served by Hartford HealthCare. I truly believe that we can simultaneously provide cutting edge treatment and clinical trials with comfort, consistency, compassion and hope.

News

Insurance

Aetna, Anthem, Cigna Healthcare, Colonial Cooperative Care, Community Health Network of Connecticut, Inc., Connecticare, First Health Group Corp., Health New England, Multiplan, Northeast Health Direct, Oxford Health Plans, United Healthcare, BCBS Medicare, Connecticare Commercial, Connecticare Medicare, Corvel, Coventry, Essence Healthcare, Evercare, Focus, Health Connecticut, Health Direct, Healthy Connecticut, Prime Health Services, Private Health Care Systems, Inc., Senior Whole Health, WellCare of Connecticut, Inc., One Health Plan/ Great-West Healthcare, CarePartners of Connecticut

This information is subject to change at any time. Please check with your insurance provider before scheduling your appointment or receiving services to confirm they are a participating member of the Hartford HealthCare network.

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