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For the past seven years, St. Luke Community Healthcare employees in Ronan have been helping Mission Valley women get the tests they need.
Under the St. Luke Employee Giving Program, $ 81,668.40 was injected into the mammography program.
This total includes screening mammograms, MammoPad breast treatments and funds paid to the digital mammography machine.
"Employee Giving is doing a lot for the hospital," said Dian Hickethier, chief mammographer at St. Luke.
For the mammography department in particular, she said the program had allocated 75 free mammograms a year.
Once hired at St. Luke, employees are invited to indicate whether they wish to donate hours per pay period to the donation program, Hickethier said.
The money generated by the program is distributed among various departments for health care to patients.
One of the main benefits of the donation program is perhaps the way it helps make the mammography process a little easier and more comfortable with MammoPads.
Hickethier explained that single-use tampons placed on the machine cost more than $ 5 each.
The foam pad covers the lower plate of the mammogram.
"These are two hard surfaces that press the breast," she said, adding that the breast tissue is dense and has many nerve endings, so the mammography machine can be uncomfortable for most women.
The cushion helps to reduce the feeling of pressure, allowing the technician to take time during the process.
The cushions are latex-free and hypoallergenic.
Hickethier said the hospital treats about 1,000 mammograms a year.
To accommodate those who work during office hours, staff can perform a mammogram until 8:00 pm. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
"This allows (patients) to go home, find babysitters … because it's easier at night than the day," Hickethier said.
The "big relief" of evening mammography allows more patients to access screening, she added.
The "Employee Giving" program also offset the cost of a mammogram for people without insurance, which costs $ 165, plus reading fees at St. Luke's.
Hickethier said that usually a mammogram is complete in about 15 minutes.
However, she takes her time and spends about 30 minutes with her patients.
"We can do education, which in my book is huge."
Hickethier covers the breast exams during this half-hour and uses pedagogical prostheses to explain the meaning of the different masses in the breast tissue.
Hickethier stated that she believed that employees make donations to the donation program because they know the cause is helping the community. "They know that the programs (patients) used are worth it."
Some disciplines may not allow people to donate time and resources in the community, so it's a way for hospital staff to do it, she said.
Sometimes patients want to thank hospital staff once they have benefited from the donation program, and Ms. Hickethier told them to thank everyone they see.
The breast cancer rate in Lake County is above the national average, said Hickethier.
In general, the rate of positive biopsies is about 33%, but between 40 and 50% of mammograms performed by his department are positive.
This rate varies each year, she added.
Among the possible factors among this high number, there is a larger Native American population, in which breast cancer is more exposed, said Hickethier.
There have been male patients who have been screened for breast cancer, but Hickethier said that these patients had previous health problems that contributed.
For a mammogram, Hickethier said that a patient did not need to be referred, but that a doctor had to allow him to correspond about the diagnoses and treatment, as well as to Other information in a follow-up conversation.
Forty years is the standard age to start a mammogram, but if a close family member has had breast cancer, people should see a doctor sooner.
"When you call for a mammogram, tell us your background" so medical staff can determine if a person needs screening.
If someone is not sure about needing a mammogram, Hickethier said the best thing to do was to call the mammography department.
There are programs for people without insurance, but patients should also disclose all possible information so that staff can help them.
Start by asking questions. To ask questions; see what happens, "said Hickethier.
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