Community project funding/congressionally directed spending - construction - outer cape health services (ochs) requests CDS funding to help purchase a new mammography unit for its provincetown…

Community project funding/congressionally directed spending - construction - outer cape health services (ochs) requests CDS funding to help purchase a new mammography unit for its provincetown health center. This will be an equipment-only project. The existing mammography unit is more than ten years old, uses outdated 2D technology, and needs frequent, expensive maintenance. Mammography services are important to the rural outer cape residents in and near provincetown, at the vary tip of our isolated peninsula. The next nearest services are 1-3 hours away by public transit. More than 500 patients receive ochs mammography services annually. In 2021, four patients had life-saving diagnoses of cancers at ochs mammography. By acquiring a new mammography unit with advanced 3D tomography, we hope to provide early diagnoses that will save even more lives for our underserved rural outer cape population. According to our consulting radiology practice consultants at beth israel medical center, the purchase price for a new unit is estimated at $350,000. In addition to CDS funds of $250,000, ochs already has existing funds of $50,000 from previous years' fundraising. Our development department is confident that we will be able to raise the additional $50,000 for this popular service through fundraising and has already begun planning.