Mammograms Made Easier for Rural Patients 

It's easy to postpone screenings and preventive care when you feel healthy and have no symptoms. Between work, family responsibilities, transportation challenges, and the demands of everyday life, preventive screenings often fall low on the priority list.

The danger is that breast cancer can develop long before symptoms appear. Regular mammograms detect problems early when treatment is most effective. For many women in rural communities, however, getting a mammogram may require additional travel and taking time away from work and family.

The Women's Mobile Health Unit was created to help address those challenges by making screening more convenient. It travels to our Yakima Valley health centers, so patients do not need to find additional time, transportation, or resources to travel elsewhere for their mammogram. This is especially important in rural communities, where access to care can be limited. Some families share a single vehicle. Others face challenges taking time away from work or arranging childcare. For many women, their own health is often pushed to the bottom of a long list of responsibilities.

As Maria Benavides, Program Director, explained, transportation alone can prevent patients from receiving recommended screenings.

"I know some of our patients have difficulty accessing mammography services," said Benavides. "We're going to our rural communities so patients have access to a service they otherwise probably wouldn't have."

The convenience of receiving care where they receive their primary care addresses other challenges as well. Patients can schedule a mammogram at the same time as other healthcare appointments. Sliding-scale pricing also helps make screenings more affordable for uninsured or underinsured patients.

Since launching, the response has unscored the community's need for the service. According to Benavides, some patients are already choosing to wait for appointments on the mobile unit because of the convenience and affordability it offers.

In addition to convenience, early detection remains one of the most important tools in the fight against breast cancer. When irregularities are identified sooner, patients can access follow-up care and treatment earlier.

For Melinda Matosich, Mammography Tech Coordinator, the goal is simple: help more women prioritize their health.

"I've had patients that have come in, and they haven't had the screening done because they weren't able to take time off from work," said Matosich. "They have thanked me because they were really appreciative that we were coming to them."

The Women's Mobile Health Unit makes access to preventive care more convenient and ensures that more cancers are found early when they can be most successfully treated.