By Gail Wood
Just below the surface, beneath that cordial all-is-well-with-their-world greeting, Bonnie Warrington knows that the people she sees for exams are anxious, uncertain about the possible detection of cancer.
She knows that a friendly smile and a little humor goes a long way in comforting people who come into South Sound Radiology (SSR).
“I enjoy helping put patients at ease when they come in for an exam or procedure,” said Warrington, a CT technologist at South Sound Radiology. “I know it can be scary when coming in for an exam, so I love making a connection with a person through humor to make them feel more comfortable.”
Radiologic technologists at SSR know that their jobs are more than taking images, whether it’s a mammogram, a brain scan or an ankle x-ray. They’re also dispensers of comfort and cheer.
Karie Ryan started working at SSR as a radiologic technologist while still in tech school. She loves her job.
“I know this is the right job for me because I love to work in the clinical setting where I can share my happiness with someone and be a bright spot in their day,” Ryan said. “I also love that in this field there is opportunity for growth because the technology is always changing and there’s more to learn. Radiology is a very exciting field to work in.”
Ryan and Warrington are two examples of SSR’s dedication to their patients.
“Our rad techs are an integral part of the operations in our clinic,” said Marysa Stevens, South Sound Radiology communications specialist. “They are meticulous in their craft, capturing precise, clean images of inside the human body, while providing comfort and compassion to the patient.”
Connecting with a patient, giving that comfort with service, takes a special person.
South Sound Radiology opened in Olympia in 1973 and today sets the standard in diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology. In the Olympia office, SSR has 18 radiologists. Overall, it has 41 employees, which includes the front desk help, schedulers, IT and administrative support.
SSR sees between 40 and 50 mammogram patients a day. The women coming for a mammogram usually have a sense of uneasiness because of the nature of their examination.
“I think most women who come in come in with some anxiety,” said Jen Cokl, SSR’s diagnostic imaging supervisor. “Because there’s always that potential for cancer, they know they’re coming in to be screened for cancer.”
Last year, SSR provided 10,600 mammogram exams. Of that, they found 101 cancers.
“Cancer is always in the back of everyone’s mind,” Cokl said. “Our job is to be very sensitive. We want to get a good exam and to ease their fears, and to provide a safe environment as well.”
Since October is national breast cancer awareness month, it is a busy time at SSR. Women 40 and older are encouraged to get yearly mammograms. Early cancer detection improves recovery chances.
Women with no family history of breast cancer aren’t exempt from risk and shouldn’t skip yearly exams.
“The majority of women who are being diagnosed with breast cancer don’t have a family history of it,” Cokl said. “It doesn’t mean you’re in the clear if you don’t have a family history of cancer.”
Cokl said there are three guards to early detection to breast cancer – self-exams, doctor’s exams and the clinical mammogram.
“You try to do all three to catch things early,” Cokl said. “We’re trying to catch cancers before they can be felt.”
The technology advancements at SSR have been significant over the past 10 years. Eric Williams, the MRI/CT supervisor at SSR, remembers when he started at SSR nearly 25 years ago. At that time, there were darkroom techs who developed x-ray film. Now, all the film is eliminated and everything is digital, a computer image.
CT scans today have more detail and less radiation.
“That’s a big concern for people today,” Williams said. “We use the top of the line scanner that helps us and it gives the minimum dose of radiation and the maximum quality of image.”
Cokl said SSR goes beyond an exam and “people sitting behind a screen and taking pictures.”
“Our patients are coming in for potentially life-altering exams,” Cokl said. “Their entire world can change. It’s important that we have qualified, passionate techs who work with them to provide the comfort level they need. It can be a very scary experience, but our techs are skilled, gentle and kind hearted.”
