Mobile mammography comes to Wayne
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 2, 2004 1:59 PM
Wayne County women will soon have greater access to breast cancer screenings through a new mobile mammography program set to begin this summer.
Goshen Medical Center Inc. was one of eight agencies across the country selected by Avon and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to receive funding to establish the program in its community.
On May 27, Goshen CEO Greg Bounds saw the culmination of almost a year of planning and preparation when the center's mobile unit was delivered to the corporation's main site in Faison. Dr. Bounds said he looks forward to the positive affect the new service will have on the health of Wayne County women.
"We feel fortunate to be able to take this valuable screening tool into the community," he said. "Our goal is to make mammograms accessible to as many women as possible, particularly those who would otherwise postpone this test because of time constraints or financial difficulties."
Because the main goal of the Goshen Avon Mobile Mammography Program is to increase mammography access, emphasis will be placed on working with industries, churches, health departments, and other community health centers in the area to make on-site screenings as convenient and affordable as possible.
Insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare will be accepted forms of payment, and uninsured patients will be eligible to apply for sliding-fee rates. In addition, uninsured women who qualify financially will be able to receive mammograms free through Goshen's Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program.
While the primary concentration of services will be in Goshen's home county of Duplin, the mobile unit will also serve communities in surrounding counties, including Sampson, Wayne, Greene and Robeson.
The 40-foot-long mobile unit was constructed by Armor Mobile Co. in Ohio and is equipped with a patient waiting area, mammography room, dark room, and a fully equipped exam room. Bounds said he hopes to eventually station a mid-level provider on board to increase patients' access to other acute and primary care services.
"Every new service we add is intended to further Goshen's mission to provide quality, affordable health care," he said. "We think the mobile unit will be a great addition to our area."
The mobile mammography unit is in the midst of the required accreditation process and should be operational by mid- to late summer. Additional information, including scheduling and availability, can be obtained by calling Goshen Medical Center at 910-267-0421.