Good Samaritan Medical Center Sees Screening Numbers Rebound During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October

Good Samaritan Medical Center, part of Tenet’s Palm Beach Health Network, is seeing breast cancer screening patients return during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Between the hospital’s Breast Institute and outpatient imaging locations, breast cancer screenings are trending up by more than 15% this October at Good Samaritan compared to October of last year.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) still estimates 4 out of 10 adults are delaying medical care because of concerns related to the pandemic, but early diagnosis of breast cancer can greatly increase the chance of successful treatment. 

“A screening mammogram can literally save a woman’s life, and we are so happy our community members are recognizing that they can come to us with the strict protocols we have in place to provide this service safely,” said Sheri Montgomery, chief executive officer of Good Samaritan Medical Center.  “If you didn’t get your annual screening mammogram during Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, or have missed, or are behind schedule for any other important screening, 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. 

“The earlier we find a breast cancer, the higher the chance of survival, and that is why it is so important to see women coming in for their annual screening mammogram during Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” 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 hospital 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.