The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates 4 out of 10 adults are delaying medical care because of concerns related to the pandemic.
October 1st 2020- Good Samaritan Medical Center, part of Tenet’s Palm Beach Health Network, is reminding the community to make sure to make an appointment for your annual mammogram during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Early diagnosis of breast cancer can greatly increase the chance of successful treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 4 out of 10 adults are delaying medical care because of concerns related to the pandemic. Good Samaritan Medical Center has the protocols in place at our Breast Institute to safely treat patients for their screening and oncologic needs and urging the community not to delay care.
“We recognize many people are canceling or delaying regular screenings that they would have otherwise already had,” said Sheri Montgomery, chief executive officer of Good Samaritan Medical Center. “We want the community to know that we have strict protocols in place to safely care for patients, and if you have missed, or are behind schedule for an important screening, like a mammogram, you should not delay rescheduling these procedures.”
As part of a comprehensive approach to cancer care, the Breast Institute is a full-service breast care and cancer screening and treatment facility within the hospital and patients receive their screening mammogram results the same day as their appointment. The Breast Institute offers low-dose screening and diagnostic 3D mammography, which is designed for a more accurate breast cancer screening, and allows the radiologist to examine breast tissue one layer at a time. Breast cancer surgery, stereotactic biopsy, ultrasound, CT scanning, PET-CT, bone densitometry and support groups are all offered for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, and those with advanced breast cancer. Physicians trained in breast surgery and oncological surgery lead the multidisciplinary team that includes specialists in breast imaging, radiology, pathology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, and reconstructive surgery. The team also conducts weekly multidisciplinary pre-treatment planning conferences to discuss personalized treatment options for patients.
Breast cancer patients can also benefit from the Electron Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (eIORT), which delivers a concentrated dose of radiation therapy to a tumor bed during surgery. The standard radiation therapy treatment for patients can be five days a week up to six weeks. With eIORT, patients receive all the needed radiation at one time, after the tumor has been removed, but while the tumor bed is still exposed.
“Whether you are at an increased risk for breast cancer, including individuals with mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, or you missed your regular screening mammogram, now is the time to call and get on the schedule,” said Dr. Elena Rehl, breast surgeon on staff at Good Samaritan Medical Center. “We have taken the proper steps to ensure patients who come to our hospitals or diagnostic centers for any screenings or procedures will be taken care of in a safe and secure environment.”
The Breast Institute at Good Samaritan Medical Center, is designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. The Breast Institute at Good Samaritan Medical Center is also designated by the American College of Surgeons as a National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a designation reserved for breast centers that achieve high standards across the most effective breast cancer treatments. For more information go to our website at www.goodsamaritanmc.com.
About Good Samaritan Medical Center
Good Samaritan Medical Center is a 333-bed acute care hospital providing sophisticated, personalized medical care to Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast for 100 years.
As one of the area’s leading oncology centers, the hospital’s Cancer Institute provides general and highly specialized cancer services and is accredited by the Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons. Good Samaritan Medical Center’s Breast Institute is designated by the American College of Surgeons as a National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a designation reserved for breast centers that achieve high standards across the most effective breast cancer treatments. The Breast Institute is also a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology.
Additional services include general and robotic surgical options through the hospital’s Surgical Institute, a Certified Primary Stroke Center, 24-hour emergency care, advanced cardiac care through the Cardiac and Vascular Institute, diagnostic imaging, maternity services and a Sleep Disorders Center.
Good Samaritan Medical Center has been a recipient of the Healthgrades Labor and Delivery Excellence Award for two years in a row (2018-2019), placing Good Sam in the top 10% of all hospitals evaluated for L&D services. The hospital has one of the lowest C-section rates in Florida: Good Samaritan Medical Center is proud to be one of only 19 hospitals in the state of Florida to achieve a C-section rate below 23.9% for first time mothers with low risk pregnancies, meeting the AHCA recommended C-section rate.
Good Samaritan Medical Center earned Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. The hospital was also the recipient of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for 2020 and is a designated Center of Excellence for Hidden Scar Breast Cancer Surgery™.
To learn more about Good Samaritan Medical Center, or for a complimentary physician referral, visit www.goodsamaritanmc.com or call 561-650-6023.
