Two Years of 100% Certification for North Country Mammography Department
Susan Maxwell and Kelley Goulet are the mammography coordinators who are responsible for seeing that the very strict guidelines set forth by the state and federal government are followed.
“This community can be proud to have a mammography department that exemplifies quality,” stated Brad Taylor, RT, RDMS, director of diagnostic imaging at North Country Hospital. “I have never worked at a facility that received 100% certification – let alone for two years in a row!”
There is more to providing a mammogram than most people realize. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to keep the Mammography Department running properly. Kelley Goulet and Susan Maxwell are the mammography coordinators who are responsible for seeing that the very strict guidelines set forth by the state and federal government are followed. Mammography is the only clinical procedure regulated for quality assurance under the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 (MQSA). The Food and Drug Administration conducts a yearly inspection to ensure that the Mammography Department is following the MQSA guidelines for equipment, personnel, and reporting.
One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in U.S. women, responsible for about 40,000 deaths each year. In addition, 1,700 new cases of breast cancer in males will have diagnosed in the year 2006.
The technologists in the Mammography Department at North Country Hospital are dedicated to providing women access to timely, high quality screening and diagnostic services to detect breast cancer at the earliest stages. The seven licensed and registered Radiologic Technologists in the Mammography Department have all had a friend or family member who has battled breast cancer. Clinical data shows that women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancers are less likely to die from the disease than those diagnosed with advanced stages of the disease. Mammography has been shown both to detect cancer at an earlier stage and to reduce the likelihood of death from breast cancer.
Susan and Kelley assumed the mammography coordinator position over two years ago. Their combined efforts are concentrated around maintaining certifications needed to continue services related to mammography. Part of Kelley’s job includes making sure the Radiologists have had the proper training, are board certified (or board eligible), are licensed by the State of Vermont, and have read a specific number of mammograms, as well as acquiring the necessary amount of educational credits. The technologists in the department also have to be board certified, must have a Vermont state license, and have to perform a specific number of mammograms, in addition to acquiring educational credits.
Susan, who is the supervisor of the Radiology Department, also performs quality control testing on the mammography equipment on a daily basis, which allows her to identify any equipment related problems. These tests are conducted daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and semi-annually, all of which must be well-documented for the yearly FDA inspection.
Besides credentialing the mammography staff, Kelley also mails out all patient reminder letters to make sure women schedule their mammograms. As a follow up to the mammogram, Kelley records the results of the exam and follows up with the patient and/or doctor in regards to any further tests if needed. Trying to explain to a patient that the Radiologist has detected a suspicious area in her breast is the least enjoyable part of Kelley’s job. A special picture or an Ultrasound allows us to take a closer look; and most of the time this turns out to be non-worrisome/benign. Sometimes a biopsy is recommended to determine a suspicious finding. Never the less a patient’s emotions are usually high during this interaction.
In addition to maintaining 100% compliance with state and federal guidelines, the Mammography Department at North Country Hospital also keeps patient comfort in mind. They have currently included the use of mammo-pads during the exam. Mammo-pads are foam sponges which are placed on the plate during a mammogram. These pads make the surface softer and warmer for the patient, and allows for more compression of the breast allowing for a better picture of breast tissue. Initial patient feedback indicates that patients really like them. In addition, these mammo-pads are environmentally friendly, as they are sent to California to be recycled as carpet padding.
Upcoming improvements to the Mammography Department include the installation of a new digital mammography unit to replace our current film screen mammography unit.
North Country Hospital continues to strive toward excellence when it comes to patient satisfaction and health care. Kelley Goulet, Susan Maxwell, and the Mammography technologists exemplify this level of excellence.
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