July 31, 2009 —On Friday morning, July 31, the Cibola County Commissioners approved a $300,000 appropriation to support the purchase of a digital mammography machine for Cibola General Hospital. The equipment and associated support systems are estimated to cost $400,000.

The Board of Directors of Cibola General Hospital acknowledged the need for the advanced technology and made a commitment to acquiring it by the middle of 2010. They were in the process of exploring fundraising options to finance this large capital expenditure when the County stepped in. With the support from the County, this purchase can be made even sooner, providing women in the County with state-of-the-art breast cancer diagnostics. “The County recognized the need for this life-saving equipment and saw an opportunity to help the women in our community,” said Scott Vinson, County Manager.

Every three minutes a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer. Advanced technologies to detect the disease early are critical to survival. Digital mammography will provide better detection and diagnostic capabilities and allow physicians to generate images in seconds. The capabilities of digital mammography result in fewer repeat views, lessening exposure to patients. The technology provides the added benefit of magnifying, manipulating and sharing images electronically not possible with traditional film-based mammography system currently in use at Cibola General Hospital.

“The funds will have a direct impact on the health and well-being of our patients by offering them more comprehensive diagnoses, which will ultimately save lives,” said Kenneth Cochran, Chief Executive Officer at Cibola General Hospital. “Our community relies on us for care close to home,” said Cochran. “This equipment will help us deliver on our commitment to advance healthcare in our community.”

“The County Commission is dedicated to healthcare initiatives,” said County Chairman Edward Michael. “This opportunity is a direct and meaningful way to help residents in the Cibola County better prevent and detect breast cancer. We are proud and honored to provide this essential support to Cibola General Hospital.”

The hospital is evaluating digital mammography vendors and preparing for the transition to the new equipment. Cibola General plans to have the new service available by the end of the year.