Prestigious award brings added peace of mind for mammograms

Getting screened for a medical condition can be a little disquieting, even for routine annual exams. So when it comes to getting a mammogram, the Kapi‘olani Breast Center is now letting patients know about a certification that can contribute to their comfort and peace of mind.

The Kapi’olani Breast Center was the first facility on O‘ahu to be accredited as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR is the authority on mammography in the U.S., having reviewed and accredited more than 90 percent of all mammography screening facilities in the country. In fact, its program was used as the model to develop the federal Mammography Quality Standards Act currently in place today.

Although federal requirements state that all mammography facilities must be accredited, only a small number take the extra step of pursuing, and then achieving, accreditation for a full suite of screening and breast diagnostics services.

“When my patients see this seal of endorsement for screening and diagnosis, I hope it will put them even more at ease,” says Breast Surgeon Laura Peterson, M.D. “I view this seal as a testament to the Center’s expertise. It’s one more indicator of Kapi’olani’s commitment to breast health as a specialty.”

Kapi’olani has long placed an emphasis on patient assurance, and making patients feel at home by providing what the staff refers to as “soft touches.” These include attractively designed facilities with notable furnishings and paintings by local artists. The extra touches also include comfortable robes and roses for those coming in for mammogram screenings.

Kapi‘olani opened the state’s first women’s center in 1994 and the first Breast Center in 2004. It was the first to offer an all-digital mammography system in Hawai‘i. The Breast Center also operates the state’s only High Risk Breast Program, as well as a dedicated tumor board for breast cancer patients.

To qualify as an ACR Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, a facility must be accredited in mammography plus the modalities of:

• Breast ultrasound
• Ultrasound guided breast biopsy
• Stereotactic breast biopsy

The Center successfully achieved the ACR’s rigorous standards in image quality, personnel qualifications, facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs.

Dr. Peterson describes the ACR as the principal organization of radiologists in the U.S. with more than 32,000 members. A radiologist is the specialist that reviews and interprets mammograms and other breast diagnostics, and thus knows best what it takes to be a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. Look for this seal of endorsement the next time you need a breast screening or test.

For an appointment, call 527-2588.
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