Atrium Health Floyd is celebrating the success of its second mobile mammography coach. In just six months, this coach has provided over 1,700 screening mammograms to women in mostly rural parts of north Georgia and northeastern Alabama.
On Monday, a gathering took place at the Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Chattooga Emergency Department, where the mobile unit is based. This organization operates the only mobile mammography units in the region.
Aimee Griffin, vice president of Professional Services at Atrium Health Floyd, shared that their original goal was to conduct 1,500 screenings in the first year. They exceeded that number, diagnosing nine cancers, five of which were detected in the local area.
Since launching its first mobile coach in 2008, Atrium Health Floyd has traveled 111,000 miles, conducted 35,000 screenings, and identified 129 cancers. Their commitment includes a unique promise: to notify women about their screening results within 24 hours.
Funding for the new coach came, in part, from U.S. Sen. John Ossoff, who has advocated for expanding healthcare options in rural communities. Kurt Stuenkel, the president of Atrium Health Floyd, emphasized the importance of the mobile unit in overcoming barriers like transportation and accessibility.
While nine cancer cases may seem small, they are significant for the families affected. The screenings in the mobile coaches mirror the quality of those done in a traditional clinic. The units are equipped with state-of-the-art digital mammography and even offer 3D imaging, which is helpful for women with dense breast tissue.
Data from the CDC indicates that regular screening can reduce breast cancer mortality rates by 20-30%. With mobile units like this one, women receive vital care right in their communities, making a real difference in health outcomes.
For more detailed studies on breast cancer screening and its effects, refer to the CDC’s findings here: CDC Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines.
