KAUFMAN, Texas — The mammography service at Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman, soon to be Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman, has been reaccredited by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The reaccreditation comes as the hospital has made scheduling a digital mammogram more convenient.

“Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman received high scores from the Texas Department of State Health Services during its annual inspection,” said hospital president Patsy Youngs. “We continually improve our policies and procedures to best serve our patients. The mammography department diligently works to provide physicians and patients the most complete and timely reports possible.”

The Texas Department of State Health Services completes annual inspections of mammography facilities, as required by the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992. The standards law was designed to ensure that radiology facilities meet stringent quality criteria.

In addition to staying current on the latest quality measures, hospital officials constantly look to improve services to make them more convenient for patients.

Women can now schedule a digital mammogram as late as 6 p.m. on Mondays. The hospital has increased its hours because the number of mammograms it completes has risen. In September, the hospital performed 167 mammograms, up 25 tests from the previous year, said Teresa Grimes, radiology director. In recent months, physicians in Terrell have begun sending their mammography patients to Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman.

“Our patients come from Kaufman, Henderson, Van Zandt, Rockwall, Dallas and even other east Texas counties, Grimes said. “Our technologists have worked hard to receive their qualifications in Mammography and are registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology. Early detection of breast cancer is our passion. Our goal is to share our passion by providing quality care, and education about breast cancer, to the women of the east Texas.”

Younger patients with dense breasts benefit significantly from digital mammograms, according to a study by the National Cancer Institute. The study revealed that digital mammography was significantly better at diagnosing cancer in women under 50 and in women of any age who had very dense breasts. Patients coming in for a digital mammogram will notice little to no difference because the test is performed the same way, it’s just how the results are stored and analyzed that is different.

“While patients won’t notice much of a difference in their mammogram exam, digital mammography helps radiologists detect changes in breast tissue much sooner than with screen- film mammography,” Grimes said.

For information about self breast examination, or to schedule your mammogram, please call our Radiology Department at 972-932-7390.

About Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman
Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman, soon to be Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman, is a 91-bed acute-care, full-service medical center serving Kaufman and Henderson counties and the southern part of Dallas County since 1979. The hospital's services include women and infant care, wound care, diagnostic imaging, cardiac rehabilitation, and pain management services. Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman has been recently recognized with the Pathway to Excellence hospital designation for distinction in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and is a Level IV Trauma Center. For more information, please call 1-800-4-Presby, or visit www.texashealth.org/phk.

About Texas Health Resources
Texas Health Resources is one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health care delivery systems in the United States and the largest in North Texas in terms of patients served. THR’s system of 13 hospitals includes Harris Methodist Hospitals, Arlington Memorial Hospital and Presbyterian Healthcare System, and a medical research organization. THR is a corporate member or partner in six additional hospitals and surgery centers. For more information about Texas Health Resources, visit www.texashealth.org.