Same-Day Mammography Appointments

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March 3, 2008

Cambridge Health Alliance Improves Breast Health Services with Same-Day Mammography Appointments

Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Revere, Somerville, Winthrop, MA...In an effort to improve access to essential breast care services, Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) now offers same-day mammography appointments at each of its three hospital campuses - Cambridge, Somerville, and Whidden in Everett. Each site offers digital mammography, which is faster and more accurate than traditional mammograms.

According to Janet Baum, MD, CHA's Director of Breast Imaging, more than 185,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer annually. "Screening mammograms are important because they can find tumors long before they can be felt, which greatly increases our ability to treat the disease," said Dr. Baum.

"In the past, many women delayed a mammogram because of long appointment waits," she continued. "Today, with digital mammography in three area locations and breast MRI at our Cambridge campus, we can provide women with quicker access, allowing us to detect breast cancer earlier. Our overall goal is to help improve mammography screening rates for women across the Boston region. And we think women deserve this level of service from their community hospital."

The CHA digital mammography service is supported by the Cambridge Breast Center, which shares the commitment to easy access to care. The Cambridge Breast Center team includes breast surgeons, oncologists, nurses, and social workers and is available at both the Cambridge and Whidden hospital campuses.

Screening mammograms are recommended annually for women over 40. Appointments can be made by calling 617-665-1298.

Cambridge Health Alliance is a regional healthcare system with three hospitals and more than twenty primary care practices in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston’s metro-North communities. As a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Health Alliance offers medical residency/training programs and undergraduate learning experiences in hospital and community settings. Cambridge Health Alliance also includes the Cambridge Public Health Department, CHA Physicians Organization (CHAPO), and Network Health, a managed Medicaid plan. For more information: http://www.challiance.org