Health
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake announced the arrival of 3D mammography at its new Medical Imaging location at 15322 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 204 in Clearlake.
The conversion from 2D to 3D mammography will transform the process of breast cancer screening for women in Lake County.
St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake is proud to be one of only a few health care centers in the region offering this new and cutting-edge technology.
The 3D mammography technology, also known as digital breast tomosynthesis or DBT, dramatically increases breast cancer detection rates, especially in women with dense breast tissue.
St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s new Hologic Selenia Dimensions mammography system takes multiple pictures of each breast from many angles, though the scan takes less than four seconds.
The scan gives radiologists clear, highly focused images of the breast tissue, layer by layer, and achieves greater accuracy in pinpointing the size, shape and location of tumors.
Studies show that 3D mammography results in a 29-percent increase in detection of all breast cancers, and a 41-percent increase in detection of invasive breast cancers.
“Three-dimensional mammography screenings are the best defense for early detection of breast cancer,” said Amber Thompson, director of Medical Imaging at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. “It will provide us with more precise images to detect cancer earlier and with pinpoint accuracy. If patients are diagnosed earlier, they can be treated earlier.”
St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s medical imaging services at the Lakeshore Drive location will also include DEXA scanning, which was previously offered at the hospital itself.
DEXA scans measure bone density and detect risk for broken bones for people with multiple conditions, including osteoporosis.
“Our goal is to help keep residents of Lake County healthy, and the investment in the 3D mammography unit significantly furthers that objective,” explained David Santos, president and chief executive officer of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake.
The hospital anticipates final licensure of the Imaging Services location within a few weeks, and will begin providing the new service immediately once awarded clearance to open.
Thompson looks forward to providing 3D mammography screenings. “I hope the women of Lake County will rest easier knowing they have access to the best cancer screening technology available, right here close to home.”
Medical imaging services are typically covered by Medi-Cal and Medicare and most major insurance plans.
The St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s Medical Imaging is located in the Hilltop Professional Building in Clearlake at 15322 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 204.
Call 707-995-5760 for more information.
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UKIAH, Calif. – To encourage Ukiah’s next generation of care providers, MCHC Health Centers donated $500 to purchase gear for members of Ukiah High School’s scrubs club so they can be easily identified when they volunteer as first responders in the community.
The UHS scrubs club provides instruction to students interested in health, medicine and allied fields such as fire and emergency medical response.
“Encouraging students to explore their interest in medicine and EMS is good for them, as well as the future of our community,” MCHC Health Centers Associate Medical Director Justin Ebert explained. “The main focus of scrubs, I believe, is from the standpoint of first responders. Some members are junior firefighters with local fire agencies; others volunteer at school sporting events.”
Ebert believes that with this type of experience, students will be better equipped to make decisions about their futures, potentially becoming nurses, doctors, fire fighters, paramedics or other health-related professionals.
Ideally, many will return to Ukiah after completing their education and training to care for people in this community.
UHS scrubs instructor Ben O'Neil has extensive experience in the emergency response field and is helping students who are interested prepare to sit for the national emergency medical technician certification exam upon high school graduation.
O’Neil has also partnered with Mendocino College to help students continue their medical education, and is developing a medical Spanish program.
Ebert supports training local students for local jobs. Like many Mendocino County health care organizations, MCHC Health Centers spends a lot of time and energy trying to recruit enough medical providers, and with national shortages in many medical fields, it is advantageous to grow our own when possible.
In its medical department, MCHC Health Centers employs doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, nurses, and medical assistants.
In its dental department, it employs dentists, dental hygienists, registered dental assistants, and sterilization techs. And in its behavioral health department, MCHC Health Centers employs licensed clinical social workers, nurse practitioners, psychologists and others.
“We love hiring local people because they are generally invested in this community and tend to stay here,” Ebert said.
MCHC Health Centers provides comprehensive health services including primary medical care, pediatrics, dentistry, women’s health, obstetrical care, counseling, psychiatry, chiropractic and specialty care, and looks forward to growing to meet the ever-expanding needs of the communities it serves.
Learn more at www.mchcinc.org .
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