Baptist Union County earns ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation

NEW ALBANY, MISS., June 29, 2016 – Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County has been designated a Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology.

The ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation is a voluntary program that recognizes facilities that have committed to practicing safe, effective diagnostic care for those patients at the highest risk for developing lung cancer.

In order to receive the distinction, facilities must be accredited by the ACR in computed tomography in the chest module, as well as undergo a rigorous assessment of their lung cancer screening protocol and infrastructure. Also required are procedures in place for follow-up patient care, such as counseling and smoking cessation programs.

Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography scans and appropriate follow-up care significantly reduces lung cancer deaths. In December 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended screening of adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Lung cancer is the nation’s leading cancer killer – taking the lives of more people each year than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer in Mississippi, accounting for more than 30 percent of cancer deaths. Mississippi has the highest mortality rate and the second highest incidence rate of lung and bronchus cancer in the nation, plus has the third highest rate of adults who smoke. Early detection and treatment is key to reducing mortality, according to multiple sources.

The ACR, founded in 1924, is one of the largest and most influential medical associations in the United States. The ACR devotes its resources to making imaging and radiation therapy safe, effective and accessible to those who need it. Its 36,000 members include radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, interventional radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians.

For more information about the Lung Cancer Screening Center designation, please visit, acr.org/Quality-Safety/Lung-Cancer-Screening-Center.

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County, the recipient of many awards and accolades, was most recently recognized as one of the top 100 hospitals in the country by the Safecare Group^® in the category for hospitals between 100 and 400 beds. The hospital was awarded the Outstanding Patient Experience Award by Healthgrades and was named a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures^® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America, in 2012 and 2013. Baptist Union County offers a variety of health care services, including adult and pediatric inpatient services, labor and delivery, outpatient and laser surgery and a 24-hour, newly renovated emergency room. The hospital also offers telemedicine and imaging and laboratory services, including an American College of Radiology-accredited MRI machine.

To find out more about Baptist Union County, please call 662-538-7631 or visit unioncounty.baptistonline.org.