The Ontario Breast Screening Program is located on the 1st floor of the Hospital, and can be reached at 705-328-6175.

The Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) was developed by Cancer Care Ontario in 1990 after careful study indicated the importance and illustrated the benefits of breast cancer screening programs. Ross Memorial became an affiliate of the program in 1998 and today, there are approximately 160 visits per month. The Ontario Breast Screening Program provides a screening mammogram, which is a safe and effective way of detecting early problems. Two x-rays of each breast are taken and if there is a problem, an appointment will be made for a diagnostic exam so that a more precise and detailed diagnosis may be made.

When patients arrive, they are shown a video on breast self-examination and trained nurses are available to answer any questions and provide one-on-one instruction, if needed. One of the nurses will also carry out a clinical breast exam. The mammography is done by a specially trained medical radiation technologist. Each patient and their physician will receive the results of the tests within two weeks of the screening.

It is recommended that women 50 years and older be screened every two years. Patients can book their own appointments or can be referred by their family physician. Ross Memorial Hospital will contact patients who have had a prior screening to book their follow-up appointments.

The OBSP is a well women's screening program that is dedicated to reducing deaths from breast cancer through early detection. Since OBSP's first complete year in 1991/1992, the annual number of screens throughout the province has increased six times from approximately 23,000 to approximately 145,000 in 2000/2001. In 1999, there were 108,520 breast screens performed in Ontario and of those, 610 breast cancers were discovered, representing a cancer detection rate of 5.6 per thousand.

Breast screening is very important in the early detection of cancer. If breast cancer is detected early, it is more likely to respond well to treatment and if treated, is less likely to spread. Women who are 50 years of age and older are encouraged to come to Ross Memorial for a breast screening and if they have any questions or concerns about the procedure, staff are always willing to listen and provide information.

Patient Satisfaction Survey Results
In October 2001, the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) at Ross Memorial Hospital received very favourable results from a recent patient satisfaction survey, conducted by the OBSP. On average, 96.7% of the patients who completed the survey responded very positively to the program, the staff, and the procedure.

Click here to return to Diagnostic Imaging

Click here to return to In-Hospital Community Services