After months of reporting and an elaborate inspection, Great Bend Regional Hospital was recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography from the American College of Radiology and renewed its certification with the United States Food & Drug Administration. This dual process involves daily record keeping, annual reporting, and the tracking of numerous statistics to meet and exceed the federal Mammogram Quality Standards Act.
“The reason every hospital undergoes rigorous quality inspections is to help make sure that we are producing the best quality images,” said Heather Ewy, GBRH radiologic technologist. “There are over a dozen categories we have to report on, with hundreds of checkpoints we have to pass. It’s a hard process, but ultimately it means we’re doing everything we can to give our patients the best possible care.”
In addition to the ongoing reporting required by the state and federal governments, part of the accreditation process involves ensuring that all the hospital’s radiologists and technologists are up-to-date on their continuing education hours, and numerous samples of mammogram images are provided and inspected by the accrediting bodies. A state inspector also visits the facility to check up on the record keeping and quality control aspects of the department’s operations.
“Following all the rules, mandates, and reporting criteria is of utmost importance, and most of it is done in the background where a patient will never see it,” said Bill Henderson, Imaging Department supervisor at Great Bend Regional Hospital. “Maintaining our gold seal for mammography is no easy task, but it is part of our dedication to patient care.”
Great Bend Regional Hospital uses the latest in digital mammography with state-of-the-art equipment designed to quickly and effectively assess the condition of the breast tissue to diagnose cancers and breast diseases. It is recommended that women over the age of 40 schedule a mammogram every year, as breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in the United States. To schedule a mammogram, contact GBRC, 620-792-8833.
Great Bend Regional Hospital (www.gbregional.com) is a state-of-the-art 33-bed physician owned hospital.