Laboratory
From young girls to women, and from mothers to grand-mothers, a woman’s risk for certain medical conditions increases as she ages. Proactive screenings—in the form of pelvic exams, Pap tests, and certain blood tests—can quickly and easily address many key health concerns along the way, and even identify diseases with few or no warning signs.
You won’t have to go very far for lab work, with our on-site lab and phlebotomy services. Most of our lab results come back in 4 hours to 5 days, depending on the test. If you have signed up for our Patient Portal, you will get the results of your tests at the speed of the internet when we review them. If you have not signed up for our Patient Portal, you will get a card in the mail. If your test results are abnormal, our Triage nurse will call you and schedule a follow-up appointment to review your lab results.
For laboratory services not performed at SWC, we use Quest Diagnostics. If your insurance does not cover laboratory service by Quest—or if your prefer that your lab work be sent to a lab facility other than Quest—please ask our phlebotomist to make alternative arrangements for you.
We adhere to HIPAA privacy rules for all of our patient care, including lab work.
X-ray and Mammography
We recommend yearly mammograms starting at age 40. Mammograms are performed at Salem Radiology Consultants, located at 2925 Ryan Dr. SE in Salem.
Ultrasounds and x-rays will be performed at Salem Radiology Consultants. Your results will be available through our Patient Portal, by mail, or via phone with our staff if follow-up care is required.
DEXA Bone Mass Density Testing
DEXA, or Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry, measures a patient’s bone mass density. This is an important test to measure the risk of osteoporosis-related fracture. We recommend DEXA testing for all women once every 3 years, starting at age 65. This test is also recommended for post-menopausal women under the age of 65 with a personal or family history of bone fractures or thin body stature, low body weight, cigarette smoking, falls, poor health, long-term corticosteroid usage, or other factors. Please talk to a health care provider at Salem Women’s Clinic to assess your risk or need for a DEXA scan. All DEXA scans are performed at Salem Radiology Consultants.
