2014 Independent Healthcare Award Finalist

For the second year running Holly House Hospital has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Laing and Buisson Independent Healthcare Awards. Last year the Physiotherapy Department at Holly House won the ‘Healthcare Outcomes’ award for ‘The Calm Choice’ programme which combines the four main evidence based areas of yoga, breath work, meditation and cognitive behavioural therapy to assist with the management of personal stress.

Entered this year into the ‘Best Use of Technology’ category the nomination focuses on the hospital’s combined breast screening and osteoporosis service.  The Diagnostic Centre at Holly House Hospital has introduced an innovative way of combining both breast screening and bone mineral density assessment on the same digital imaging equipment. This gives patients the convenience of having two of women’s biggest health concerns, breast disease and osteoporosis, examined at the same time in the same room.

Michele Fox, Imaging Services Manager, explains: “As the first hospital in the UK to install the DXR technology on our microdose mammography unit, patients over 45 years old can have their Bone Mineral Density (BMD) measured at the same time as their routine mammogram. Offering this service alongside routine breast screening is raising the awareness of osteoporosis, not only among breast screening patients but also amongst men who attend our hospital and now request to have their BMD measured.”

Mammographers take an x-ray of the patient’s hand on the mammography unit.  The hand image is sent digitally to a laboratory in Sweden where the metacarpal bones are analysed to give a risk factor of that patient developing osteoporosis. Back at Holly House, a clinical report is given to the patient and their GP, with bone health guidance and referral recommendations, if required.

By installing the DXR software, the diagnostic department has increased the versatility of their mammography unit. Michele goes on to explain: “The examination only adds a minute to the patient’s breast screening visit. So, the opportunity to have both examinations at the same time has given patients, who would not have previously considered having an osteoporosis screen, a quick and convenient way of accessing this service.”

Holly House Hospital has been established for more than 30 years and is passionate about providing the best modern medical care and facilities for both insured patients and those choosing to pay for their own treatment.  Early detection of both breast cancer and osteoporosis is known to give better outcomes and by utilising this combined technology Holly House is helping raise awareness among the local community.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in October 2014.