St. Joseph's Mammography Program re-accredited for another three years

The Mammography Program at St. Joseph's Hospital in Breese has been re-accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for another three years.

"The hospital and mammography program are committed to providing excellent care for our patients," said Jene Bieri, hospital director of Professional Services. "Continuous ACR accreditation is another confirmation by a professional peer review certification process."

Headquartered in Reston , Va., the American College of Radiology accredits facilities with high practice standards following a peer review evaluation. Board-certified physicians and medical physicists assess the facility's personnel and equipment, then report their findings to the ACR Committee on Accreditation which provides a comprehensive report to the facility.

Accredited since 1992, the hospital offers a General Electric Senographe DMR Mammography unit, a dedicated mammography suite and registered radiologic technologists with special training in mammography. Staff have an average of 12 years of experience; approximately 3,300 patients a year use the service.

Mammograms are read by board-certified radiologists with an average of over 15 years experience in mammography. Radiologists reading the mammography films utilize the hospital's ImageChecker Computer Aided Detection or CAD unit.

Studies have shown that using CAD on a screening mammogram can result in earlier detection of over 23 percent more cancers. Early detection such as with a mammogram continues to offer the best protection and using computer aided detection can enhance those results.

A woman having a mammogram at St. Joseph's in Breese may notice the use of MammoPad breast cushions. The cushion was designed by a female breast surgeon to make the procedure more comfortable; about 70 percent of women surveyed said their discomfort was reduced in half when the cushion was used.

The American Cancer Society recommends every woman over the age of 40 have an annual mammogram; a physician's order is required.

For more information on accreditation or mammography services, contact Medical Imaging at 618.526-5459 or jbieri@sjb.hshs.org . To schedule a mammogram, call the hospital Outpatient Center at 618.526-5396.