Her personal experience and dedication to early detection led Dr. Jekot to research the technologies available that would best serve her patients. "I knew that digital technology was the best mammographic tool to maximize early detection for our patients and I wanted the hospital to go digital." Unfortunately, the hospital administrators informed her that they would be unable to make the move to digital for at least two more years. "I knew I could not wait that long." Jekot says. "I felt I owed it to my patients to provide them with the best technology available. So, I left the hospital to build my own comprehensive breast imaging center."

In 2005, along with her sister Rosanne Jekot, MHSA, Administrator at the Jekot Center, they opened the doors to the Elizabeth Jekot MD Breast Imaging Center. "It was truly a leap of faith - off a seemingly high cliff."

"It's a personal mission," says Rosanne, "a dream, to create a practice that addressed an issue, cancer, which has had such an impact on our family. She has literally built her dream here."

Hologic: the technology & organization to succeed

For her center, Dr. Jekot wanted the finest equipment in order to provide the best service possible. "Our philosophy was always, 'the highest quality care in both technology and services'. I had researched all the equipment while I was at the hospital, and found that Hologic offered the best available."

The Jekot Center installed two Hologic Selenia digital mammography systems, as well as a Hologic MultiCare Platinum stereotactic biopsy table. "I wanted to do this right," Jekot says. "I did my homework and found the best. The image quality is superior and the Hologic soft copy workstation is very user-friendly."

Being a comprehensive breast center, Dr. Jekot also has the tools necessary to perform tissue sampling procedures. She routinely uses the ATEC breast biopsy system from Suros Surgical. "ATEC affords us the flexibility to biopsy each lesion using the most appropriate imaging device," says Jekot, "whether it be with stereotactic, ultrasound, or MRI guidance." By offering MultiCare Platinum together with the ATEC system, the women in the northern Dallas/Fort Worth communities have access to the most advanced breast biopsy technology on the market today.

"The people at Hologic," says Rosanne, "are exactly the kind of people you want to have working with you on a project like this."

"There are so many advantages to working with Hologic's digital mammography units," says Kristin Willits, RT(R)(M), Director of Technical Operations. "Analog just can't compete. With digital we have no cassettes or buckys to switch out, and no film processing time. Plus," she adds, "the patients love the equipment and the increased efficiency it provides."

Immediate image rendering reduces the time it takes for the average visit by half. It also means that patients are not recalled from the dressing areas if the technologist needs to retake images. "If we need to repeat an image," Kristin says, "it can be done before they leave the examination room, making patients feel more confident, and less stressed."

Dr. Jekot recognizes that you can't launch a project of this magnitude without quality equipment and support. "Hologic has been fabulous to work with," Dr. Jekot says. "With them, customer service is a very high priority, no matter how small the detail."

Coordinating the installation of the new equipment with the demands of a construction schedule meant flexibility and commitment. "Our account manager from Hologic went out of her way to accommodate our scheduling needs. It was a beneficial...and headache-free experience," says Rosanne.

Dr. Jekot sees Hologic as more of a partner than an equipment vendor. "As an individual without the clout or buying power of a hospital behind me," Jekot says, "I felt like the proverbial 'little guy.' Hologic treated me like anything but a little guy. Their demonstration of respect and responsiveness, from my sales representative all the way to the President, Rob Cascella, made me feel like a heavy hitter. You can tell they are not just selling great equipment; they are cultivating long lasting relationships."