KentuckyOne Health Breast Care at Saint Joseph East Completes $1 Million Expansion and Renovation - Archived

KentuckyOne Health Breast Care at Saint Joseph East Completes $1 Million Expansion and Renovation

 New technology makes hospital first in area to offer 3D stereotactic biopsy

Lexington, Ky. (Oct. 29, 2014)—KentuckyOne Health Breast Care at Saint Joseph East officially dedicated its $1 million expansion and renovation project completed this month. The project was funded in part by the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation. It includes new technology that makes Saint Joseph East the first hospital in Kentucky to offer the Affirm 3D-guided stereotactic breast biopsy.

The Affirm 3D-guided stereotactic breast biopsy is a minimally invasive biopsy done with a needle that is guided to an abnormality shown on a mammogram by a special computer. This new biopsy technique has numerous advantages over traditional stereotactic biopsy procedures, including reduced patient procedure time. Patients do not have to undergo anesthesia, can be in and out of the procedure within an hour and can return to daily activities immediately.

“The ability to do biopsies using the 3D stereotactic approach will help more patients avoid surgery,” said Marta Kenney, M.D. radiologist. “This procedure is also more comfortable than previous biopsy techniques. It does not require patients to lie on their stomach and is done in less time. Being the first in Kentucky to offer this option to our patients is very exciting.”

The expansion also includes the addition of digital breast tomography, often referred to as 3D mammography.

Advanced 3D mammograms move in an arc over the breasts, taking images from multiple angles rather than just from two angles. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in June 2014, 3D mammography, used along with standard digital mammograms, improved breast cancer detection rates by more than 40 percent. The use of 3D mammography also decreases the percentage of women who had callbacks for additional imaging or a biopsy. Reducing callbacks is significant because according to the American Cancer Society, less than 10 percent of women called back for additional testing are diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Tomosynthesis, 3D mammography, provides for enhanced detection of early breast cancer,” said Kimberly Stigers, M.D., radiologist. “We are grateful to KentuckyOne Health and the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation for providing our patients with the most advanced diagnostic and screening technology available to help us care for women and men in Lexington and across central and eastern Kentucky.”

KentuckyOne Health Breast Care at Saint Joseph East now has 5,900 total square feet of expanded and renovated space conveniently housed in the medical office building adjacent to the hospital and allows for the separation of the screening and diagnostic areas to increase efficiency and comfort for patients and their families.

The screening area includes an additional mammography suite, private dressing rooms and bone densitometry services all in one area for easy and convenient access for patients.

The separate breast diagnostic and clinical suite is designed for patients scheduled for diagnostic studies, ultrasound procedures, and biopsies. This area also boasts two newly renovated exam rooms for surgical patients to see their breast surgeon on the same day as their exams. This helps to decrease travel expenses and appreciates patient’s time to allow less time away from work, family and daily activities.

With new technology and space, KentuckyOne Health Breast Care at Saint Joseph East expects to treat more than 7,000 patients in this new 3D suite in the next year – resulting in over 20,000 total mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies. In addition, Richard Budde, M.D., a radiologist, has joined the practice and will begin seeing patients later this month.

“Increasing access to care is at the core of our mission to bring wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved,” said Ruth W. Brinkley, president and CEO, KentuckyOne Health.  “As many as one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The latest technologies and clinical areas that are designed to be comforting and accommodating to our patients will help us to provide critical screenings and care for more women, and men, in Kentucky.”

“Shortening the window of time between identifying a lump or area of concern and receiving additional testing for diagnosis is very important to our patients,” said Eric Gilliam, president, Saint Joseph East. “Waiting for a diagnosis is a very worrisome and stressful time. The ability to lessen that amount of time has tremendous emotional and physical benefit.”

The Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation provided $250,000 for the project through private donors and dollars raised from its annual gala and golf events.

“This project will have tremendous impact for patients and it was made possible because of the generous support of our donors,” said Di Boyer, director of major gifts for the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation. “In addition to the technology the renovation also includes beautiful Kentucky art making the space feel warm and comforting. This work is at the heart of the foundation’s mission.”

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 200,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and nearly 40,000 women are expected to die from the disease this year.

The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening mammograms for women over age 40. For women who are uninsured or underinsured, the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation’s Yes, Mamm! program can help provide access to screenings. For more information about Yes, Mamm! call 859.967.5613.

About KentuckyOne Health
KentuckyOne Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in the Commonwealth, has more than 200 locations including, hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies in Kentucky and southern Indiana. KentuckyOne Health is dedicated to bringing wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved.  The system is made up of the former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System, along with the the University of Louisville Hospital and James Graham Brown Cancer Center. KentuckyOne Health is proud of and strengthened by its Catholic, Jewish and academic heritages.

About Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation
The Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation, a part of KentuckyOne Health, raises and administers funds to support the core values and mission of Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Jessamine RJ Corman Ambulatory Care Center.  One of the Foundation’s goals is to bridge the gap between medicine and compassion.  The Foundation is always looking for ways to assist those in need and is funded solely by the generous contributions.  For more information, please call 859.313.1705 or www.saintjosephfoundation.org.

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