CRETE AREA MEDICAL CENTER New 3D mammography system benefits local patients Boldt leads CAMC

New 3D mammography system benefits local patients

With support from the Crete Area Health Care Foundation and its many loyal donors, Crete area patients are receiving 3D mammography near home.

COVID-19 restrictions limiting vendors to the Crete Area Medical Center delayed installation at first, but the equipment has been in use for screening and testing since July. This advanced imagery procedure is touted for providing better detection and accuracy than its predecessors.

“We are so fortunate to be able to bring this level of technology here, particularly for patients with a higher risk of breast cancer who in the past may have traveled to larger communities multiple times for 3D mammograms,” says Crete Area Medical Center CEO Stephanie Boldt.

“This allows us to continue to advance Radiologic technologists Connie Schnuelle and Nancy Grimaldo demonstrate the new Hologic 3Dimensions mammography imaging system at CAMC.

the health of our communities through collaboration and prevention.”

The Hologic 3Dimensions combines multiple X-rays to create a threedimensional picture of the breast with minimal overlapping of breast tissue, which can lead to earlier diagnosis.

Its images provide better detection in dense breast tissue that can hide some small tumors, and improved accuracy when diagnosing abnormalities, says radiology manager Cathie Boyle.

“That, in turn, reduces the number of unnecessary callbacks. Plus, it’s more comfortable for patients,” she explains. “It has a curved compression paddle that mirrors the shape of the breast to provide even compression, and its fast scan times

help reduce motion, leading to fewer retakes and less compression time.”

The equipment — which cost more than $407, 000 — will benefit a significant number of patients. About 950 mammograms are performed each year at CAMC.

The Crete Area Health Care Foundation provided more than half of the funds for the purchase, contributing $240,000 from

Stephanie Boldt is Crete Area Medical Center’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. Before accepting this new role in May, Stephanie was the chief operating officer at Thayer County Health Services in Hebron.

Where is she from?

“I grew up in Morrowville, a small town in north central Kansas. After graduating from college, I moved to Lincoln and lived there all but the last couple of years. Throughout my childhood, I looked for opportunities to lead others and take on responsibility. By growing up in a small community, I was fortunate to be involved in a wide variety of activities,” she says, adding, “My parents raised me to be hard working and respectful.”

She and Mark, her husband, have an 11-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter.

Stephanie points out, “We have family in Lincoln and Kansas, so Crete is a great location for us.”

Where did she go to college?

“I went to Colby, Kansas, to become a physical therapist assistant. While working as a therapist, I went to school at Bellevue University and earned a bachelor’s in health care management, then a masters in business administration with a concentration in health care.” its 2019 Care & Share Campaign and other unrestricted gifts from previous years. The donation is the latest example of the Foundation’s support for CAMC’s mission to provide care close to home, notes Foundation Treasurer Jeff Schultz.

The Foundation has granted more than $2.5 million toward medical equipment, professional development scholarships and

Boldt leads CAMC

high school scholarships since it was formed

She continues: “I worked in therapy for 10 years and took on progressive leadership roles. After receiving my MBA, I transitioned from therapy to a broader health care scope and began working in a hospital setting.”

Her roles as vice president of clinic services and then chief operating officer at Thayer County prepared her for her current role at CAMC. in the mid-1990s.

“We appreciate the Foundation’s support and financial contribution to 3D mammography,” says Stephanie Boldt, CEO of the medical center.

“We continually evaluate our services to identify new and better ways to provide care to our community — 3D mammography is a great example of that.” n

“By having experience in most aspects of the hospital, I gained great respect for the various departments and roles within a rural health care system,” she says.

What’s impressed her about the staff and patients here?

“Moving into a new community and starting a new job during the pandemic has been unique, but CAMC and the community have made my family and me feel right at home,” Stephanie says.

“I am honored to be leading CAMC. This medical center has highly engaged, dedicated staff who are committed to providing ongoing, excellent quality care.”

What’s on the horizon?

Stephanie notes, “CAMC will be initiating a building addition and renovation to enhance Family Practice, Labor and Delivery, Surgery and Outpatient/Specialty areas of the hospital.

“We also will evaluate our services, looking for areas of opportunity to enhance current services and add others that will benefit our community, and we will explore options in our continuing efforts to support the community.” n

Sleeping bag project turns trash into treasure

Surgical nurse James Oxford shows off sleeping bags fashioned from blue wraps.

Blue wraps. James Oxford, RN, sees them every day in the operating room. These paper-thin wraps protect surgical instruments after they’ve been sterilized. When the sterilized equipment goes to the operating room, the blue wraps are thrown away, even though they have not had contact with patients or soiled tools.

Oxford, a surgical nurse, wondered if the wraps, which are made from nonwoven polypropylene (the same material that reusable totes and shopping bags are made from) could be rescued from its landfill fate.

“I found our organization doesn’t use enough for a recycling company to take it. But when I searched for alternatives online, I saw another hospital was upcycling wraps for a better cause,” he says.

The cause? Sleeping bags for the homeless.

Wraps are about four and a half feet square and waterproof; two sewn together correctly can be used as sleeping bags and mats for people in need.

Oxford suggested a process to Volunteers and Customer Care director Ellen Beans. Surgery could provide materials. Would Beans recruit volunteers to do the sewing?

Beans liked the idea of upcycling (giving new life to items that would otherwise be discarded). The VCC department created a kit of instructions, wraps, thread and elastic. In March, VCC invited Bryan employees to participate, and got 10 quick responses. VCC emailed additional invitations, and more than 100 bags already have been completed.

Sewers work at home and track their own hours. Those in the Professional Development Program for RNs, for example, use the experience to meet requirements for volunteer service.

Completed sleeping bags are distributed through organizations serving the homeless in Lincoln. CenterPointe outreach and peer support specialist Cole Dickes sees a lot of people who seemingly have fallen through the social service cracks. His job is to provide resources to the needy and to raise community awareness.

Dickes says, “Sleeping bags are one of our most needed items. Having these is a huge blessing. Seeing the community come together to address this issue is very uplifting and provides me with hope.”

Oxford sees the project as a four-way victory.

“When people do even just a little bit to help, and then others do the same, the outcome is synergistic. Those who contribute are enriched, the environment benefits, the organization spends less on waste disposal, and most importantly, the lives of those who receive the blankets are improved. It’s a winwin-win-win solution,” he says.

If you would like to participate in this project, please contact Volunteers and Customer Care at 402-481-3032.

Learn about additional volunteer opportunities at bryanhealth.org/applyvolunteer. n