Screenings way up during awareness month
|
|
November 19, 2012 |
 |
|
These ladies
on the Boundary Community Hospital staff
donned their pink T-shirts and gathered
on the hospital helipad to support the
hospital's Breast Cancer Awareness,
Early Detection campaign |
| Marcia Morman
photo |
|
By Marcia Morman
The seven-week average for mammogram screenings
at Boundary Community Hospital is 97. During the
seven-week period of the hospital's Breast
Cancer Awareness, Early Detection campaign, 211
women had mammogram screenings. Our goal was 147
mammogram screenings.
“The community-wide response to early-detection
of breast cancer was a tremendous, positive,
happening in our county," said Craig Johnson,
administrator of Boundary Community Hospital.
“Men as well as women responded with
enthusiastic participation in the promotion of
the hospital’s Breast Cancer Awareness, Early
Detection campaign.”
“This pro-active action on the part of the
community speaks volumes about our local
people," he continued. “Idaho is ranked as one
of the lowest states in the union for mammogram
screenings. This increase of 114 Boundary County
women who initiated good healthcare practice
exceeded all expectations and goals. We can all
be very proud of our hard work; from the grocery
stores, restaurants, banks, and local business
managemers who agreed to participate to promote
women’s health; to the checkers, servers,
tellers and workers who wore the Breast Cancer
Awareness Early Detection T-shirt and handed out
the campaign’s post-cards. I want to thank all
of you.”
The team of radiologic technologists, Kathy
Howarth and Ingrid Haviland, worked efficiently
and long to conduct all the tests. If everything
works out perfectly—no late patients, no delays
of any kind— the maximum number of tests that
can be performed in a day is eleven.
Most days, they performed eight to eleven tests.
Linda Irwin, Mark Bonar and Bill Blumenauer
worked and re-worked the scheduling, creating a
smooth flow of patients so that everyone who
wanted the exam could get one during the
discounted time period between October 5 and
November 16.
Dr. Melendez, Boundary Community Hospital’s
highly trained and respected radiologist,
increased his working hours to accommodate the
more than double number of screenings that he
read and studied.
In the reception room at the outpatient clinic,
Carla Ratzloff and Lauri Edwards worked
tirelessly to help women fill out the necessary
paper work and be comfortable as they waited for
their appointment.
The media was a tremendous help. Mike Weland of
the online paper, newsbf.com attended the
Georgia-Mae Plaza Mayoral Proclamation, taking
photos, and later writing a story. In addition,
he ran several press releases about the campaign
on his website.
The Bonners Ferry Herald published several
articles covering the event, as well as featured
many other Breast Cancer Awareness happenings in
the county during the entire month of October.
Jo-Jo Baker at KBFI radio station interviewed
Marcia Morman, community relations coordinator
for Boundary Community Hospital, on his
Wednesday noon talk show. Bonners Ferry Newsline
published a full-color article.
The media’s promotion and exposure served the
community well.
|
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
