Memphis, Tenn., May 16, 2002 - Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville’s Women’s Health Center recently became the second center in the Mid-South to offer a full-field digital mammography machine, touted as the biggest breakthrough in mammography in the past 20 years.

The digital mammogram offers better visibility of dense breast tissue, takes half the time of a traditional mammogram and reduces radiation doses by 20 to 80 percent. While the digital mammogram doesn’t replace the traditional mammogram at this time, it enhances the ability to detect breast cancer in women who have dense breasts or implants, a family history of breast cancer or a previous case of the disease.

In October 2000, the Baptist Women’s Health Center, housed at the Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women, became one of only seven centers in the nation and the only one in the Mid-South to have the first full-field digital mammography machine. “Baptist Collierville is proud be one of two centers in the Mid-South that offer this lifesaving technology,” said Rick Lassiter, Administrator and CEO at Baptist Collierville. “We’re committed to keeping advanced health care close to home.”

Digital mammography is made possible at Baptist Collierville by a grant from the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation, the charitable arm of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation. The Foundation’s Board of Directors grants and fund-raising initiatives have helped establish new projects and programs throughout the community and help purchase new equipment, such as digital mammography.

The Women’s Health Center at Baptist Collierville offers screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds and bone densitometry tests. Experienced board-certified female radiologists and mammography technologists, whose priorities are patient care and comfort, staff the center.

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville opened its doors in May 1999. With all the amenities of home, this full-service hospital sits on a 75-acre park-like campus and features extra-large patient rooms, a walking trail, and a state-of-the-art infant security system. Medical services include a full-service emergency room; obstetrical unit with LDRP rooms and a nursery; outpatient rehabilitation; cardiac rehabilitation; inpatient and outpatient surgery; ICU; inpatient and outpatient diagnostics; a Sleep Disorders Center; and 48 acute care beds.

For an immediate appointment, contact Baptist Collierville’s Women’s Health Center by calling (901) 861-8900. For more information about the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation, or to find out how you can help, call (901) 227-7121.

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