Annemie Apffelstaedt of Apffelstaedt & Associates discusses breast, thyroid and parathyroid health and working in the industry
August is women’s month and so our #ThemeOfTheMonth is dedicated to highlighting the women that we have the privilege of working with every day. We chatted to Annemie Apffelstaedt, co-founder and Practice Manager of Apffelstaedt & Associates, a multi-disciplinary breast, thyroid and parathyroid health centre that offers a comprehensive clinical and appropriate imaging assessment service for any breast, thyroid and parathyroid health related matter.
- Why did you and your husband choose to open Apffelstaedt & Associates?
I felt compelled to do something effective in a changing breast health environment. By giving women access to high-quality breast cancer screening in an attractive and women-friendly environment, we make it easier for them to take responsibility for their own breast health. Our multidisciplinary breast health centre offers both imaging and clinical services under one roof and addresses the paradigm shift in addressing today’s need in breast health screening. The process we follow manages all aspects of breast health and is purely for the benefit of our patients, rather than pure material gain for us, which is rewarding. We have subsequently added thyroid and parathyroid health to our offering.
- As a woman working in the medical industry, which is specifically focused on women’s health, how important do you think it is for more women to be involved and educated on breast and thyroid health and treatments?
This has proven to be very important as this field is extremely well researched and continuous progress is made on possible treatments. Being well informed about the benefits of screening and taking one’s responsibility for own health seriously is important.
- What are the highlights of your job? What keeps you motivated each day and every day in your job?
The best part of my job is working so closely with the patients, you forge relationships with them, so their satisfaction is immensely fulfilling. We’ve created sustainable employment for about 10 women (excluding myself) and it’s great to be part of a team who always work hard to ensure that they contribute to better female healthcare. We have built a dedicated team, for which I am grateful.
- In your opinion, what are the possible characteristics and skills needed to succeed in this industry?
Before starting the business, I knew that thorough preparation had to be done. I completed an MBA, which focused on entrepreneurship and new business ventures. This gave me the business skills that I believe enabled me to contribute to a strategic business plan that has proven its worth.
While it is important to have business acumen – you also have to have an enquiring mind. It’s not just the medical skill that’s important when it comes to breast health, it’s the ability to create an environment where women feel that their needs will be met and will positively respond to education on breast health matters by booking appointments and asking questions. Understanding what these needs requires research. Being a woman helps a great deal! Having an open mind helps too.
You must have empathy in order to understand the delicate nature of this business environment. At the same time, we also have to be quite hard-headed and stand by our obligation to communicate advances in breast health and breast cancer treatment to women without sugarcoating the disease. Patient advocacy for breast health is still in its infancy in South Africa and ongoing education and awareness is important for every woman, no matter what financial status she may have. A lobbying mindset is very useful.
In summary: Be hard headed and lobbyist enough to drive the change towards better breast health for every woman. Be enquiring and open-minded enough to understand the market in which you operate and do proper market research. Be empathic whilst being scientific by keeping track of the environment around you. At the end of the day, you need to be able to offer women an attractive environment for breast health screening and put together a good, skilled, educated and caring administrative and medical team.
Follow the MANGO-OMC social media channels for more news and updates on our #ThemeOfTheMonth and upcoming Q&A’s with industry leaders.