HOPE Now Offers Mammography!

By Liz Ferrell, Development & Community Outreach Specialist

HOPE Family Health is proud to announce we now offer mammography services at our HOPE Westmoreland facility! Women aged 40 and above, and women under 40 with certain risk factors, can now come to HOPE Westmoreland for routine annual mammography screenings regardless of income or insurance status.

Why is this important?

This is important because early detection saves lives! Studies show that early detection and treatment greatly increases the likelihood of successful treatment outcomes. Prevention – and preventative screening in particular – plays a key role in HOPE’s approach to integrated healthcare. We work with each patient to help them take ownership of their own health. No one can control everything, but it’s important to manage the things we can control to stay as healthy as possible, as long as possible. Now HOPE provides an important new health resource for its service area: a place where patients in this rural, medically underserved area can be screened through prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

What is mammography, exactly?

Mammography is a specific type of imaging test, called a mammogram, which uses a low-dose X-ray system to examine breasts with 3D imaging to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. HOPE’s new mammography service provides screening mammography services for women aged 40 and above. HOPE works with Premier Radiology for reading of our mammogram images.

How long does it take?

 “Results take about a week if we have the patient’s prior mammography imaging records before the appointment, and maybe a bit longer if we need to call other entities to obtain a patient’s prior records,” explained Kim Akins, one of HOPE’s two certified radiology technicians. “But you do not have to be an established HOPE patient to come to us for a mammogram, nor do you have to be insured,” she said, adding that HOPE accepts most commercial insurances as well as Medicare and Medicaid.

What is the difference between screening mammography and diagnostic mammography?

Screening mammography describes the regular annual mammogram recommended for women aged 40 and above, as well as for women under forty with certain risk factors, to ensure no abnormalities have appeared since her previous screening. Diagnostic mammography refers to mammography services that follow up on potential abnormalities for further investigation. HOPE’s mammography services are limited to screening purposes only, rather than for diagnostic purposes. If a patient’s initial imaging results indicate a possible abnormality requiring further diagnostic screening, HOPE will assist the patient by making a referral appointment for additional imaging and possibly an appointment with a specialist, as appropriate. That early detection can make a tremendous difference to a patient. A screening mammogram is the first and best step in early detection of breast cancer.

Does HOPE offer screening mammography services to men?

No. While it is true that men do get breast cancer, the American Cancer Society indicates that it is up to 100 more times more common for women than for men. Because breast cancer in men is so rare, a male HOPE patient who comes to HOPE with one or more symptoms of breast cancer will require a diagnostic mammogram rather than a screening mammogram, for which HOPE can assist the patient with scheduling.

Did you know…?

• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Tennessee women. According to information from the federally funded Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program (TBCSP), every day 14 women in Tennessee will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and three women will die from it.
  

• Black and Hispanic women suffer disproportionately from breast cancer. Black and Hispanic women are more likely than women of other races and ethnicities to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and at a later stage of the disease; they are also more likely to die from the disease.
  

• HOPE offers breast and cervical screenings through the federally funded Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program (TBCSP). In fact, HOPE ranks fourth statewide among all participating providers in the number of patients treated through TBCSP!

HOPE has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography by the American College of Radiology and has received a ACR gold seal of accreditation: the highest level of image quality and patient safety possible. What does that mean for HOPE patients? It means HOPE has undergone a rigorous review process by the ACR and passed with flying colors! We have systems in place to ensure patients receive the appropriate dose level of radiation, that our imaging equipment is assessed annually, and that our personnel receive ongoing assessment and training to ensure they meet ACR standards. You can entrust your care to HOPE.

In short, HOPE now has a new “tool in its toolbox” for providing patients with accessible, affordable, quality healthcare services. Put simply, this new tool, mammography, will help HOPE save lives – and one of those lives might be yours. To schedule an appointment or to learn more, call 615-644-2000 or visit www.hopefamilyhealth.org.

Learn more:

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer-in-men/about/key-statistics.html#:~:text=Breast%20cancer%20is%20about%20100,is%20about%201%20in%20726 

https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-young-women