MOUNT AIRY, NC— Northern Hospital of Surry County has been designated a Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
The ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation is a voluntary program that recognizes facilities that have committed to practice safe, effective diagnostic care for individuals at the highest risk for lung cancer. In order to receive this elite distinction, facilities must be accredited by the ACR in computed tomography (CT) in the chest module, as well as undergo a rigorous assessment of its lung cancer screening protocol and infrastructure. Also required are procedures in place for follow-up patient care, such as counseling and smoking cessation programs.
A lung cancer screening with low-dose CT 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.
According to the American Lung Association, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 54 percent for cases detected when the diseases is still only within the lungs. However, only 15 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage. Smoking contributes to 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women and 90 percent in men.
A lung cancer screening CT scan can be ordered by your primary care physician. To qualify for the screening, certain criteria must be met by the patient. Individuals must be between the ages of 55 and 74, be a current or former smoker who has quit in the last 15 years, have a 30-pack a year smoking history (a pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years), or a 20-pack a year smoking history with certain risk factors such as asbestos exposure or family history of lung cancer.
For more information about the screening, individuals are encouraged to speak with their primary care physician. To have the test performed you will need a referral from your healthcare provider.
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.
About Northern Hospital
Northern Hospital of Surry County is an award winning facility with a number of outpatient service locations and physician offices providing a comprehensive array of services to meet the needs of the community. Northern is ranked a Tier 1 hospital by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina because of top ratings for both clinical and quality outcomes, cost-efficiency and accessibility. Northern is recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Business North Carolina for excellence in patient care and was honored with a Grade “A” Hospital Safety Score from The Leapfrog Group. Northern has been recognized as a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the United States. The state-of-the art Surgery Center houses a wide range of in and outpatient procedures including orthopedics, gynecology, gastroenterology, urological, surgeries of the eye, and other general surgeries. Located in Mount Airy, North Carolina and serving the northwest Piedmont region of NC and neighboring counties in southwest Virginia. For more information, please call (336) 719-7000 or visit www.northernhospital.com
