SA Mobile Mammo Unit 'PinkDrive' Deploys RamSoft’s PACS

PinkDrive, South Africa’s first mobile mammography units implement PowerServer PACS for their "Early Detection Save Lives" breast cancer program.

PinkDrive, a non-profit organisation dependent on donations, reached out to Bidvest in efforts to provide free mammography screening to rural areas where women can’t afford to go see doctors. They are a Public Benefit Organisation powering South Africa’s first mobile mammography and educational unit for the purpose of supporting the organisation’s mission of "Early Detection Saves Lives." PinkDrive is proudly associated with Bidvest, one of their biggest sponsors, and RamSoft’s exclusive distributor in South Africa - Konica Minolta Medical South Africa (KMMSA). PinkDrive deployed RamSoft’s imaging workflow technology to facilitate immediate quality control of each study and accelerate its distribution to interpreting radiologists for diagnostic reporting.

 

"We are honored to be part of this effort. It’s a great cause and I’m thrilled that the patients will be able to have faster turnaround times on reporting with our software." says Marilyn Solano, director of sales and marketing for RamSoft. Knowing that we are part of something as vital as early cancer detection for the less fortunate women, and getting the attention they deserve is gratifying.

 

PinkDrive’s first Mammo truck described as a Doctor’s Room on Wheels, was used to teach women how to self-examine. Clinical exams are conducted on the spot and whoever needed it could get a mammogram for free. The new Mammo truck launched in March 2014, named "Noelsi" (after the founder of PinkDrive) Noelene Kotschan, is now equipped not only for mammography but cervical cancer testing as well. This is another first for South Africa. 

PinkDrive has realised that it is imperative to add additional services and address women’s health issues. Partners are now being sought to participate with them when they go into communities, and offer HIV/AIDS screening, TB screening, diabetes, blood pressure, hypertension screening, general health messaging etc. This will truly demonstrate collaboration of likeminded business organisations and NGO’s. 

Most of the equipment for the Mammo side has been sponsored by Bidvest and supplied by KMMSA. The Mammo unit was donated by a local Radiologist, Dr Louella Ritz. They have also joined forces with government health to aid in doing mammograms at hospitals that do not have the necessary facilities.

Image credit: Google Images / Bidvest