Screening mammograms now made easier at St. Luke
courtesy photo
Melissa Moore and Dian Hickethier, registered mammographers and radiologic technologists stand by the SeleniaTM Digital Mammography Unit at St. Luke.
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News from St. Luke Community Healthcare Network
RONAN — Since October is breast cancer awareness month, St. Luke Community Hospital in Ronan has once again set the wheels in motion to make it easier for women to get an annual screening mammogram.
For the 10th year in a row, funding from the St. Luke Community Healthcare Foundation Employee Giving Program is allowing the Ronan hospital to provide free screening mammograms for uninsured women who could not otherwise afford the service.
Gayle Wilhelm, St. Luke Foundation Executive Director, points out that to qualify for the free screening program, “Women must be uninsured, over 40 years of age, have no history of breast cancer or implants and live in the area served by the healthcare network.”
The funds come from the St. Luke Employee Giving Program where network employees are invited to contribute one hour of pay per month to be used to promote health and wellness in the healthcare network and in the community.
“Although we emphasize the free screenings during Breast Cancer Awareness month, those who are eligible can take advantage of the program any time of the year, not just during October,” Wilhelm added.
To facilitate the free screening mammograms and the overall public interest in getting the diagnostic procedure done during October, the St. Luke radiology department has a mammogram technologist available outside of the normal 8-to-5 business hours.
Evening appointments are available until 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, according to Steve Sivak, head of the radiology department at St. Luke. In many cases same day appointments can be made, “particularly if they get an early jump on scheduling with us right now,” he said.
Dian Hickethier, a registered mammographer and radiologic technologist at St. Luke, reminds women that numerous studies show that early detection can save lives and increase treatment options. “That’s why we encourage women, especially those over 40 to have an annual mammogram and clinical breast exam,” Hickethier said, adding that she thinks it’s a good idea to plan checkups around birthdays: “they are easier to remember that way.”
The new SeleniaTM Digital Mammography Unit in use at the Ronan hospital “provides a more accurate mammogram, especially for women under 50, women with dense breasts and those who are perimenopausal,” Hickethier said. “It’s a more comfortable exam.”
Adding to the comfort and the clarity produced by digital mammography is the fact that the new unit uses a MammoPad® which is a soft, foam pad that serves as a cushion between the patient and the mammography machine. “This helps relax the patient and allows us to obtain more of the chest wall in the image,” Hickethier said. “The pads also ensure a more even compression of the breast.”
Those interested in finding out more about the free screening mammograms or who would like to schedule an appointment should call the radiology department at St. Luke Community Hospital at (406) 528-5272.
