Published: June 26, 2008 03:07 pm            

Improved mammograms

• SMC board buys digital equipment for screening center

The Stillwater Medical Center Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to purchase digital mammography equipment for a new outpatient mammography screening center.

Karen Hendren, SMC chief financial officer, said the mammography center has been in the works for a year and is on the verge of being completed.

“We are seeing patients this week, but we’re still not officially open,” Hendren told the board.

Unlike analog mammograms, digital mammograms can be stored on a computer and the images can be enhanced and sent electronically.

Digital mammograms also use less radiation than film mammograms, but the digital systems cost about 1.5 to 4 times more than film systems.

The board voted to replace the existing 7-year-old machine with a new one from GE for $235,214.53.

Other items discussed during the meeting included the finance report and the CEO report.

The finance report showed the hospital exceeded the budget revenue projections for May by 8.7 percent with total revenues of $13,201,813. The hospital also gave $132,545 in charity care, bringing the year-to-date total to $1,050,380.

The board also discussed what direction it would like to take in the future on employing physicians.

Dr. Jonathan Drummond, a board member, said he feels this is an issue that the board needs to address in a public forum.

“One conflict I think at some point needs to be on a public open discussion is the direction of our palpability of employing physicians in general,” Drummond said.

“I, for one, as a member of the board and a member of the community, would like to be educated about the hospital’s intentions with employing physicians.”

The board plans to discuss the issue at its next regular meeting July 23, in the Honska Conference Center at 5:30 p.m.

        

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