Mark Lovallo

Today’s #MondayMotivation demonstrates how state-of-the-art technology can bring peace of mind to patients.

Mark Lovallo, Team Lead Ultrasound Technologist in our Diagnostic Imaging (DI) Department, was nominated by his peers to be a Monday Motivator.

He leads a team of 20 and still spends half his time working with patients, performing scans and biopsies.

He says, “The mission and values of the hospital are important. I make sure the team is always guided by them with our patients. I try to treat my patients like an extended family member in terms of patient quality and care.”

The Ultrasound team is an important player in the Hospital’s Breast Assessment Clinic, which has reduced the time a woman has to spend waiting to find out whether or not she has breast cancer from weeks to days.

In a single day, a woman can arrive to the Hospital, have a mammogram, an ultrasound and if necessary, even receive an ultrasound- or stereotactic-guided biopsy that same day. The Breast Assessment Clinic sees 20 to 25 patients each Wednesday and about 25% of them go on to have a biopsy.

“The clinic reduces anxiety for the patients. The sooner you catch cancer, typically, the better the outcome.” Says Mark.

The team was delighted when it received three brand new, state-of-the-art ultrasound machines thanks to the support of donors. Their impact on patient care was immediate, says Mark. One out of every two dollars spent on equipment here at GGH comes from a donor.

The new machines resulted in:

  • An improvement in patient wait times because the entire fleet of ultrasound machines are now suitable for any diagnostic imaging procedure.
  • Shorter exams since the technologist is able to get the image he or she needs more easily, thanks to the advanced image quality. This reduces discomfort and improves the overall experience for patients.
  • Fewer recalls where the patient needs to come back for a repeat exam due to greater accuracy and confidence in diagnoses.
  • Improved visibility for more accurate ultrasound-guided medical procedures including biopsy and drainage.

With the help of Mark, the Ultrasound team and our generous donors, GGH continues to provide exceptional quality of care to our community.