CMC gets big upgrade for mammography

They served pink cookies to go with their pink shirts Monday morning to help celebrate a big gift to Coulee Medical Center and the difference it will make in local detection of breast cancer.

After a promotional blitz with a theme of "Now Screening" designed to look like a cinematic release, CMC officials officially cut the ribbon on a new 3D mammography machine.

"Early detection is crucial in the fight against breast cancer, and this new equipment will provide higher-quality images, reduce false positives, and enhance patient comfort," the hospital stated in a press release, adding that, "healthcare providers can detect abnormalities with greater precision, ultimately saving more lives, while providing a local opportunity eliminating the need to travel to another more metropolitan area."

"Everybody I talk to ... is just glad they don't have to drive [a long way] to get the best care," said Shawn Groh, CMC's chief operating officer.

The new machine doesn't look much different to any patient than the one it replaces, but the accuracy is hugely increased because it takes a series of images that can be viewed in three dimensions instead of a flat two-dimensional picture.

A collaboration with other rural health care facilities, plus a generous grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust made the new equipment upgrade possible.

Groh said because the rural health collaborative arranged to buy six such machines, the ?? company halved its price to about $320,000 each.

M.J. Murdock's grant takes care of half of that, so CMC got a $640,000-plus machine for $166,500, and the community gets advanced screening locally.

"With this new technology now in place, Coulee Medical Center encourages individuals to prioritize their health by scheduling routine mammograms. Early detection saves lives, and thanks to the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, our community now has access to the latest advancements in breast cancer screening.

Groh said that by Monday morning, CMC had already booked 52 appointments to use the service.