Ontario Breast Screening Program now at SLMHC

Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC) is pleased to announce it is now part of the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP).

On June 13, 2016 the official announcement came from SLMHC President and CEO David Murray and Director of Prevention & Screening Services & RD Professional Practice Head at TBRHSC Cathy Paroschy-Harris.

Paroschy-Harris was speaking on behalf of Regional Vice President of Cancer Care Ontario, Executive Vice President of Patient Services at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Dr. Mark Henderson.

“We are pleased to share that women who are screened for breast cancer in Sioux Lookout will now be screened as part of the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP). OBSP breast assessment affiliates provide timely, high quality diagnosis and follow-up. They also provide the information and emotional support that clients need. Overall, this means that there is better care for patients,” said Dr. Henderson.

The OBSP provides high-quality breast cancer screening biennially to women aged 50 to 74 who have an average risk of developing breast cancer. They also provide annual screening for women aged 30 to 69 years who are identified as being at high risk for breast cancer.

Dr. Henderson said, “Data from the OBSP shows that outcomes improve when comprehensive, high quality, multidisciplinary assessment is integrated with screening.”

SLMHC Director of Clinical Support Services Karen Parent said, “SLMHC welcomes the opportunity to affiliate with the OBSP. The OBSP is a province wide program and as a result supports hospitals in the delivery of high-quality breast cancer screening.”

“Some of the benefits of affiliation are educational opportunities and training for our staff which support patient care and service delivery, as well as the ability for our staff to liaise with the OBSP team in Thunder Bay on an on-going regular basis,” said Parent.

SLMHC will continue to deliver breast cancer screening and biopsies to patients on-site. This means that patients will receive quality cancer care closer to their home and families in the same fashion as previously provided except now their care will be further enhanced with support from OBSP.

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