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 Women’s Centers in Honolulu and Aiea are now letting patients know about a certification that can contribute to their comfort and peace of mind.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has accredited each facility as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. 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. Of the 8,709 mammography facilities accredited in the United States, 437 have received the Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, placing the Women’s Centers among the top five percent in the nation and making them the only two on Oahu to receive the certification.

“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 Women’s Centers’ expertise. It’s one more indicator of the Centers’ commitment to breast health as a specialty.”

The Women’s Centers have 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 was the first to offer an all-digital mammography system in Hawaii. Kapi‘olani also operates the state’s only High Risk Breast Program as well as dedicated tumor boards for breast cancer patients at both sites.

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 Centers 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 535-7000.

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