OCTOBER 3, 2025 — In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital is emphasizing the importance of early detection, personalized risk assessments and accessible mammography services for eligible beneficiaries at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk.
Col. Idongesit Ebeute, deputy commander for nursing at BJACH, said the hospital’s mammography services directly contribute to long-term health and military readiness.
“Any beneficiary aged 40 and older can schedule a screening mammogram without a referral,” Ebeute said. “For patients under 40 with a family history or other risk factors, their provider can refer them for a diagnostic exam. The sooner we identify someone at increased risk, the better we can support them through targeted, preventive care.”
Brenda Waddell, BJACH’s mammography technologist, said early detection remains the most powerful tool in breast cancer prevention.
“We always tell our patients: mammograms save lives,” Waddell said. “We can detect breast cancer two to three years before a lump is felt. That gives patients more treatment options and a significantly higher chance of survival.”
Waddell said screenings are conducted using 2D mammography technology and are offered Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Diagnostic mammograms are performed weekly on Tuesdays following provider referral and radiologist review.
“If a patient is experiencing symptoms like pain, a lump or discharge, they need to be seen by their primary care manager,” Waddell said. “Once a diagnostic order is placed, our radiologist reviews it, and we schedule the patient. We make sure the experience is as comfortable, respectful and efficient as possible.”
Patients 65 and older can also receive care, though they must bring an order from their off-post provider, since BJACH’s primary care clinic no longer sees Medicare beneficiaries.
Ebeute said BJACH leadership is committed to providing equitable access to screening services for all eligible populations.
“We offer appointments before 9 a.m., which means working spouses and retirees can be screened and still make it to work on time,” she said. “And Soldiers are always authorized time away from their unit for medical readiness appointments.”
Ebeute added that BJACH will offer 15 walk-in screening slots on Saturday, Oct. 25, as part of the installation’s annual Retiree Appreciation Day event.
Personalized risk assessment
Maj. Zarana Trivedi, one of BJACH’s radiologists, said all patients are encouraged to complete a Tyrer-Cuzick risk assessment prior to their appointment using a QR code provided by the clinic. The calculator estimates a patient’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer based on age, family history, menstrual and reproductive history, and other factors.
“The Tyrer-Cuzick model helps us identify patients who may benefit from earlier or additional screening,” Trivedi said. “For example, someone under 40 with a 15 to 20 percent lifetime risk may need diagnostic imaging or more frequent follow-ups. This tool allows us to provide personalized, proactive care.”
Trivedi said risk assessments are especially important for women with dense breast tissue or a personal history of breast cancer.
“Dense breast tissue is a common finding and not abnormal, but it can make it more difficult to detect small lesions,” she said. “In those cases, we evaluate each patient’s needs and, when appropriate, refer them to one of our network partners for three-dimensional mammography or breast MRI.”
Quality care and continuous compliance
Waddell said BJACH’s mammography program is federally regulated and fully accredited by the American College of Radiology, under oversight from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration through the Mammography Quality Standards Act. The department undergoes annual FDA inspections and triennial reaccreditation by the ACR.
“Mammography is the only imaging modality at BJACH that requires this level of federal oversight,” Waddell said. “We track everything — quality control paperwork, machine maintenance, credentialing, patient letters, image audits. MQSA compliance is essential, and we take pride in meeting those standards year after year.”
Trivedi added that recall rates, false positives and BI-RADS scores are tracked as part of ongoing performance reviews.
“If we find something suspicious during a screening mammogram, we bring the patient back for additional views and possibly an ultrasound,” she said. “We use the BI-RADS system to categorize results and guide follow-up recommendations. Everything is done to minimize unnecessary anxiety while ensuring accurate care.”
A case for modernization
BJACH currently provides 2D mammography services, which remain accurate and effective. However, Ebeute said hospital leaders are actively advocating for equipment upgrades while continuing to ensure high-quality care through referral coordination.
“Although our 2D system remains compliant with federal standards, we are working to bring 3D mammography to Fort Polk in the future,” Ebeute said. “In the meantime, we maintain strong referral relationships to ensure patients who need tomosynthesis or MRI imaging receive timely, appropriate care.”
Trivedi said those partnerships ensure no gap in service.
“We routinely refer patients to network facilities for advanced imaging,” she said. “That process is seamless for the patient, and it allows us to deliver the most appropriate level of care based on each individual’s risk and imaging needs.”
Supporting readiness through prevention
Ebeute said the hospital’s ability to offer screening, diagnostics, risk assessment and network referrals reflects its commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care.
“Everything we do in Radiology — from screening mammograms to risk calculators to walk-in availability — supports the health, readiness and resilience of our Soldiers and their Families,” she said. “We want our beneficiaries to know they have access to early detection and support right here at BJACH.”
To schedule a mammogram, call the Radiology Department at 337-531-2306 or visit the front desk Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
To learn more or complete a Tyrer-Cuzick risk assessment, visit https://magview.com/ibis-risk-calculator.
Story by Jean Graves
Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital