2
—Continued from front cover
continue to go up, said Harper.
The babies are from the
Tri-Cities and surrounding areas
including Walla Walla, Hermiston,
Pendleton, Sunnyside and
Prosser.
“The NICU is not just for
premature babies. It is also for
full-term babies who need extra
care the rst few days of life, too,”
she said. “Some of these babies
can be quite sick, and NICU care
can be crucial for them.
“Our outcomes are very good,”
she said. “Our average length of
stay is eight days, which is lower
than the state average. We use
less oxygen for our babies, and
we have a lower readmission
rate.”
Harper attributes much of
the success to the stability of
the sta . “We have had the same
medical director and much
of the nursing sta for over
25 years.”
Parents part of the team
Through the years of NICU
care at Kadlec, parents have
become an important member of
the baby’s health care team.
“To us, parents are not visitors;
they are the voice of their baby.
They are that baby’s advocates,”
Harper said. “We teach them how
to care for their baby once they
get home, and what to expect.
We want them to learn to have
fun with their baby. These can
be important steps for a parent
whose baby has been very, very
sick.”
As the expanded NICU opens,
it improves the medical care for
the entire region.
“This is not Kadlec’s NICU.
It is the community’s NICU,
the region’s NICU,” Harper
said. “Having the high level of
care for these tiny babies and
their families is great for the
community, for the region.”
Thank you
to our
community
images in one-millimeter slices of
the tissue. The radiologist can scroll
through like pages of a book, making
for a better understanding of the
tissue in greater visibility with details
like never before.
It is particularly e ective for women
with dense breast tissue and those
with an increased risk for breast
cancer.
KADLEC’S ADVANCED
Breast Care
Center has added a new tool in the
early detection of breast cancer —
3-D mammography (also known as
tomosynthesis). All women receiving
mammograms at Kadlec’s Outpatient
Imaging Center will be scanned with
one of the two recently installed 3-D
machines.
While standard 2-D mammography
produces a at image, tomosynthesis
creates a three-dimensional rendering
of the breast. This results in greater
accuracy, earlier breast cancer
detection, and a decrease in biopsies
and recall rates.
During a 3-D exam, multiple images
of the breast are taken in a matter of
seconds. A computer then produces
Without the support of so many, the
expansion of Kadlec’s Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit would not have been possible.
Through an effort spearheaded by Kadlec
Foundation, more than $6 million was raised
to help fund the expansion. The outpouring
of support came from Kadlec employees,
community members, the region’s medical
community, and others who came forward
with financial gifts.
Special thanks to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and
U.S. Rep. Richard “Doc”Hastings who helped
secure a $1.4 million federal grant in support
of the project.
The region’s tiniest patients and their
families will soon be receiving care in the
expanded NICU. They, and we, thank you. It
would not have happened without you.
“This is a great new tool to help
us as we read mammograms,” said
radiologist Steven Weighall, MD.
To schedule a mammogram or
inquire about the free mammogram
program for women without
insurance or who would otherwise
not be able to afford it, call Kadlec’s
Advanced Breast Care Center at
(509) 942-2655
.
For women with a breast concern
beyond preventive screening,
please contact your primary care
provider.
If you are in need of a provider,
Kadlec Clinic is accepting new
patients. Call
(509) 942-DOCS
.
Offering a better view
3
-D Mammography
MAMMOGRAPHY
3-
D
decreased
recall rate
increased
detection
THE BENEFITS OF
