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Woodlands Methodist Breast Care Center Implements Extra Safety Precautions for Mammograms

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THE WOODLANDS, TX – Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at The Woodlands has put extra safety measures in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that it is safe for women to undergo a mammogram.

Houston Methodist Breast Care Center The Woodlands
The team at Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at The Woodlands assures patients that safety is their top priority.

Safety measures include:

  • Screening all patients with a temperature check and exposure questionnaire.
  • Adhering to a strict essential visitor policy.
  • Requiring masks for all patients, visitors and staff.
  • Requiring staff to also wear personal protective equipment while providing patient care.
  • Implementing additional sanitation processes to disinfect all equipment and surfaces.
  • Redesigning waiting rooms and check-in lines to ensure social distancing.
  • Spacing appointments to allow for social distancing.
  • Not utilizing dressing rooms or gowned waiting area, but having patients change in the exam rooms to reduce exposure.
  • Providing bags for patients to place their clothes for their safety and peace of mind.
  • Having hand sanitizer readily available.
  • Streamlining registration to decrease exposure.

 

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Magda Ghobashy, M.D., a breast radiologist and medical director of Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at The Woodlands, knows many women have put off getting their yearly mammogram because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she says it’s now time to get it done.

“Concerns of safety should not discourage women from getting an annual mammogram. The purpose of this yearly exam is to detect very tiny cancers that cannot be felt by touch,” Ghobashy said. “Identifying breast cancer early is incredibly important, as we know that early detection improves a woman’s overall prognosis and often results in less aggressive treatment options.”

Christine Weber of The Woodlands admitted she was apprehensive about getting her annual screening mammogram during the coronavirus pandemic. However, after receiving an email from the breast care center outlining new safety measures, she decided to move forward with her appointment.

 

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“First, you couldn’t get into the building without being screened. They took my temperature and asked if I had any COVID symptoms,” Weber said. “Everyone was practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. Also, we usually change in one room and then go to another waiting room in a robe. This time, we went straight to the exam room – so there was limited opportunity to be near other people. I can honestly say – I felt very safe.”

“It is imperative that anyone who is experiencing any concerning breast symptoms reach out to their primary care physician or gynecologist for an immediate evaluation,” Ghobashy said. “We have put many measures in place to ensure that you will be safe, so we encourage women to get their mammogram now and not wait.”

Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at The Woodlands is open for screenings, diagnostic mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies. For more information or to make an appointment, call 936.270.3600.

 

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Houston Methodist Breast Care Centers are located throughout the Greater Houston area. Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at The Woodlands offers screening mammograms, using the latest technology in detecting breast cancer. Specialized breast radiologists are on-site to supervise evaluations, which include diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and molecular breast imaging (MBI). In addition, Breast Care Center patients receive access to its nurse navigation program, which provides support to patients during diagnostic screenings, biopsies and cancer treatment.

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