McKenzie Health First in North Dakota to Offer BD Onclarity™ Cervical Cancer Screening

January 29, 2026

Released by:  McKenzie Health

McKenzie Health First in North Dakota to Offer BD Onclarity™ Cervical Cancer Screening

WATFORD CITY, N.D. — [January 29, 2026] — McKenzie Health is now offering a new cervical cancer screening option that makes testing simpler, more comfortable, and more accessible for patients in rural North Dakota. McKenzie Health is the first healthcare facility in the state to provide BD Onclarity™ cervical cancer screening, an advanced test designed to help catch cervical cancer earlier.

Cervical cancer is largely preventable with regular screening, yet it continues to impact thousands of families every year. In the United States, about 14,000 people are diagnosed annually, and more than 4,000 lose their lives to the disease. Many of these cases occur in people who live in rural or underserved areas and are not screened regularly, often due to limited access to care, long travel distances, or discomfort with traditional exams.

BD Onclarity™ helps remove those barriers.

The screening offers a self-collection option that can be done in a private space at the clinic using a simple swab. There is no pelvic exam, no stirrups, and no speculum, making the process easier and less stressful for many patients. The test still provides reliable, high-quality results that help providers understand a patient’s risk and determine next steps.

“This is the PAP test – without the PAP test,” said Dr. Chad Pedersen, Oncologist. “We are committed to prevention and early detection. This new option makes cervical cancer screening more approachable and helps us reach people who may have avoided testing in the past.”

The test is supported by national medical guidelines used by doctors across the country and provides more detailed information than traditional screening methods. This allows providers to safely recommend follow-up care when needed—or simply monitor results over time when risk is low.

By bringing BD Onclarity™ to North Dakota, McKenzie Health is expanding access to life-saving preventive care and reinforcing its commitment to rural health.

For more information or to schedule a cervical cancer screening, visit mckenziehealth.com/OBGYN or call 701-444-2235. 

About McKenzie Health: McKenzie Health is committed to quality services, continuity of care, assurance of qualified staff, and family involvement for individual patients and clients. Headquartered in Watford City, ND, the organization consists of a 24-bed Critical Access Hospital, Rural Health Clinic, Specialty Clinics, Urgent Care, Good Shepherd Home (long-term care), Horizon Assisted Living, and Connie Wold Wellness Center.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Lynn Welker-Fevold, MMHC, ACHE
307-399-4145
lwelker@mchsnd.org