Mammography screenings to reach underserved communities
Siemens Medical Solutions will provide its upright mammography system, Mammomat 3000, to four mobile mammography coaches as part of a program implemented by the non-profit CDC Foundation that supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC Foundation awarded grants to community organizations to implement mobile mammography screenings. Siemens will equip four sites: the San Antonio (Texas) Metropolitan Health District; Alpena General Hospital in Alpena, Mich.; Goshen Medical Center in Faison, N.C.; and Glens Falls (N.Y.) Hospital.
The CDC Foundation developed the program in response to the alarming number of undeserved women who cannot afford mammography screenings.
In 2002, 40,000 women died from the disease, and more than 211,000 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the United States. CDC says 3.5 million women between the ages of 40 and 64 are uninsured, have limited income and are less likely to be screened.
"Mobile mammography enables us to reach people where they live and work, at optimal times and locations, so that they are more inclined to get screened," said Siemens President and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. "By making mobile mammograms more accessible, we know from firsthand experience that we can significantly increase mammography rates among women in the U.S, particularly in underserved communities."
The CDC Foundation awarded grants to community organizations to implement mobile mammography screenings. Siemens will equip four sites: the San Antonio (Texas) Metropolitan Health District; Alpena General Hospital in Alpena, Mich.; Goshen Medical Center in Faison, N.C.; and Glens Falls (N.Y.) Hospital.
The CDC Foundation developed the program in response to the alarming number of undeserved women who cannot afford mammography screenings.
In 2002, 40,000 women died from the disease, and more than 211,000 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the United States. CDC says 3.5 million women between the ages of 40 and 64 are uninsured, have limited income and are less likely to be screened.
"Mobile mammography enables us to reach people where they live and work, at optimal times and locations, so that they are more inclined to get screened," said Siemens President and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. "By making mobile mammograms more accessible, we know from firsthand experience that we can significantly increase mammography rates among women in the U.S, particularly in underserved communities."