It was time for Beverly Taylor’s annual mammogram. But this time, her experience would be different. Instead of leaving work and going to the Baptist Women’s Health Center, the center would come to her—on wheels.
“It was nice,” said Taylor, a benefits analyst with Baptist Memorial Health Care. “It was very convenient and that’s what I liked about it—the convenience of leaving your desk and getting something serious taken care of.”
This added convenience did not result in any additional expense for Taylor. She used her insurance, and the mammogram was part of her well woman exam. Overall, this mammogram was much like Taylor’s previous mammogram experiences—with one major exception.
“You don’t have the wait to be concerned about when you use the mobile van,” said Taylor. “And they’re ready for you as soon as you get there to the mobile van.”
Baptist’s mobile mammography vans have traveled throughout the Mid-South for more than 10 years. The units often visit underserved communities, where residents typically don’t have easy access to care, and businesses that want to provide a healthy benefit or convenience to their employees. Now Baptist is making this service available to its colleagues.
Colleagues sign up for their appointments in advance and receive any paperwork prior to their visit. Baptist Women’s Health Center nurses and imaging technicians greet patients and staff the van, which has advanced imaging equipment, such as digital mammography. The van also has a waiting area, dressing room and exam room.
“It’s spacious and larger on the inside than it appears from the outside,” said Taylor. “The staff was warm and friendly. You were so engaged with the staff and the service they were providing you didn’t even look at the facility or notice anything different.”
An added bonus for Taylor was getting HumanaVitality points that she could use to earn prizes through the employee wellness program. But more importantly, she took care of a vital health exam with little effort or disruption to her day.
The mobile mammography van has screened more than 1,000 patients this year and discovered cancer in five women.