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Story and photos courtesy of Premier Health
MIDDLETOWN, OH -- This September marks the 10-year anniversary of Premier Health’s Mobile Mammography Coach, a program that has helped thousands of women across Southwest Ohio gain access to convenient breast cancer screenings that support early detection. On Sept. 2, 2015, the mobile unit welcomed its very first patient, and a decade later, it continues to break down barriers to care by bringing advanced imaging technology directly into communities.
Since its launch, the Mobile Mammography Coach has traveled 120,000 miles, completed 20,083 screenings in 12 different counties, and has served 432 locations/partnerships. For many, the coach has provided their first opportunity for preventive breast health care.
“When we launched the Mobile Mammography Coach 10 years ago, our goal was simple: bring high-quality breast screening closer to the people who need it most,” says Theresa Gustafson, RT (R)(M), system manager of breast imaging at Premier Health. “Every year since, we’ve met women who tell us they wouldn’t have had a mammogram if the coach hadn’t been in their community. That’s the heart of what this program is all about.”
The Mobile Mammography Coach has traveled 120,000 miles, completed 20,083 screenings in 12 different counties, and has served 432 locations/partnerships.The coach was created to address a critical need: access to early detection. Women who face challenges such as transportation, time off work, or lack of nearby facilities can receive the same high-quality mammography services available at Premier Health hospitals and outpatient centers right in their own neighborhoods.
“The Mobile Mammography Coach has helped reduce barriers like transportation, time, and distance that too often stand between women and preventive care,” says Tracy Short, MHA, MR, CNMT, system director of ambulatory outpatient imaging at Premier Health. “By bringing screenings directly to workplaces, churches, and community events, we’re making it easier for women to prioritize their health without having to sacrifice a day of work or find childcare. That’s how we inspire better health in a real, tangible way.”
Breast cancer incidence in several Southwest Ohio counties is higher than both the state and national averages, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
“These numbers tell us that early detection isn’t just important, it’s urgent,” says Rhonda Seidenschmidt, MBA, RT (R)(M), system vice president of ambulatory services and imaging at Premier Health. “In areas where breast cancer incidence is above the national and state averages, bringing mammography directly into neighborhoods is an important tool to help close the gap.”
Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the U.S. and the second-leading cause of cancer death. Research shows that regular mammograms can play a significant role in detecting cancer early, when treatment may be most effective.
Premier Health’s Mobile Mammography Coach provides screenings that are interpreted by board-certified radiologists and is equipped with the same advanced technology found in a Premier Health breast center.
The mobile coach provides a welcoming space with a reception area, private dressing rooms, and a mammography suite. Women age 40 and older and walk-ins can get a screening mammogram without a doctor’s order, as long as they have a provider to receive the results.
For more information or to schedule a visit from the Mobile Mammography Coach, visit premierhealth.com/mammo or call (855) 887-7364.
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