MedInformatix RIS Helps Washington, DC Mammography Center Achieve Impressive Growth
Breast Care for Washington (BCW), the only facility in the nation’s capital to routinely offer mammogram screenings and diagnostic imaging to low-income and medically underserved women regardless of their insurance status, has achieved impressive growth since implementing the MedInformatix RIS technology platform three years ago.
In 2017, MedInformatix donated an end-to-end radiology information system to help BCW more efficiently optimize their data and workflow operations and ultimately help clinicians deliver imaging services to more women across the greater Washington area. The donation came as part of a series of corporate social responsibility endeavors that underscore the company’s commitment to community outreach and healthcare accessibility.
BCW is the only mammography facility in the country to be integrated within a federally qualified health center, allowing providers to play a critical role in strengthening the link between primary care and screening for underserved patients. The center offers a comprehensive range of diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds and minimally invasive biopsy procedures, and is the first and only breast cancer screening facility east of the Anacostia River to offer state-of-the-art 3D imaging, a level of service often reserved for advanced hospital settings.
“MedInformatix has been a valuable strategic partner for us,” said Beth Beck, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at BCW. “From an operational perspective their technology allows our clinical and administrative teams to efficiently deliver care, track patient progress and promptly submit claims to insurance. From a personal perspective we share a mission-driven desire to offer quality, accessible healthcare to those in a community who need it most. They really have become an important lifeline for us.”
Beck and her colleague Dr. Regina Hampton launched BCW in 2014 to help combat the significant health disparities which exist in the metropolitan area. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control show the District of Columbia leads the nation in both breast cancer incidence and in breast cancer mortality rates. Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in the Washington area according to the District of Columbia Department of Public Health. The nearby suburbs of Maryland and Virginia also have higher than average incidence rates of breast cancer, with segments of the population ineligible for state-based health assistance.
“For many women in this region we are their only option for breast care,” adds Dr. Hampton, who serves as BCW’s Chief Medical Officer and is a recognized expert on the management of breast disease. “MedInformatix has enabled us to extend our impact with the most innovative diagnostic and clinical technologies available, and put our nonprofit on par with any private practice or hospital environment in our area. BCW’s services have helped lessen the disparity in the local patient populations and I’m pleased to say we are detecting cancer at three and a half times the national average.”
“BCW has become such a recognizable and valuable healthcare resource in the Washington metropolitan area,” said Pat McGonigle, chief executive officer of MedInformatix. “Beth, Regina and their team have brought critical healthcare services to thousands of women who might not otherwise have the ability to access them. We are extremely proud of our partnership and look forward to working closely with them as they continue to grow their organization.”
Beck says one of the key benefits of working on the MedInformatix RIS has been the integration of electronic health records and enterprise practice management systems, enabling her center to access patient data for both clinical and administrative needs, including in the areas of insurance verification, claims submission and clinical and financial analytics. “The system allows our nonprofit to operate with an eye towards our bottom line, attract new donors and grow our services in the community.” This came in handy most recently during the COVID-19 outbreak when BCW launched a fundraising campaign to help meet the center’s expenses. “For some donors, they want an assurance they are investing in a sustaining business model and our MedInformatix system allows us to optimize data like never before.”
At the end of 2019, BCW had grown the organization to serve more than 2000 patients annually and recently launched a mobile mammography unit providing women throughout the region even greater access to breast care. For more information visit www.breastcaredc.org .
