October 9, 2023 |
Photo – Breast Cancer Awareness – Courtesy FDA
The North Platte Valley Medical Center is hosting a breast cancer-themed party to promote early screening.
On October 18th, the North Platte Valley Medical Center, in Saratoga, is holding a Pink Party. Radiology Manager Corie Dempsey said the gathering will have games and information about breast care.
Dempsey said the Pink Party is also a celebration of the clinic’s recent American College of Radiology accreditation. Dempsey said not every hospital chooses to obtain ACR certification.
Dempsey said achieving ACR accreditation is a complex process. The radiology manager said clinic staff must send the American College of Radiology a large sample of computed radiography, or CR, images to prove they are properly trained.
The federal government requires providers of advanced diagnostic imaging, such as mammography, to be accredited through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. A CMS accreditation is required for certain types of Medicare reimbursement. The American College of Radiology is one of the CMS-designated accrediting organizations.
Dempsey said assessments of the medical requirements of North Platte Valley residents didn’t show a need for mammography services. The radiology manager said women were simply choosing not to travel to Rawlins or Laramie to be tested.
Dempsey said in the roughly six months the North Platte Valley Medical Center has been in operation, she has found five potential breast cancer cases.
Dempsey said she is organizing the Pink Party to raise funds for free breast cancer screenings.
Dempsey said one in eight women, and one is 800 men will develop breast cancer in their life. The more quickly breast cancer is detected, the more likely you will survive.
The Pink Party is October 18th in the North Platte Valley Medical Center’s radiology department. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted during the event. The North Platte Valley Medical Center is located at 1300 West Bridge Avenue in Saratoga.
