Virtua’s foray into mobile platforming began 8 years ago with the leasing of a mobile 2D mammography unit based out of Scranton, PA, with the hopes of increasing cancer screening access to members of the community who were uninsured or underinsured. Often, we had to compete for dates with other programs throughout the entire east coast which severely limited the number of screenings we could provide. Additionally, we were only able to service those who were uninsured or underinsured because we are grant funded. Women who had Medicaid or any other type of insurance were unable to obtain a mammogram at our events, which was a huge barrier to offering care. Once we shared these findings with our Foundation, they shared our vision of launching our own program, so that no women would ever be turned away again. Virtua Health made the commitment to close the health screening gap in South Jersey by purchasing our Mobile Health and Cancer Screening Unit (MHCSU) so that we can drive into the communities where it’s needed most. Utilizing lessons learned and interviewing other mammography programs around the country allowed us to be highly intentional with the creation of our mobile platform.  

Having worked with the community for years, we understood the daily barriers faced by the patients we serve. With so many competing priorities, if a patient made the decision to be screened, we knew it was imperative to offer as many services as possible in that one appointment. We are proud that a patient can get up to three cancer screenings, if due, as well as be referred to a medical home and assessed for lung screening appropriateness. Our Community Health Workers play a tremendous role in the success of our program through consistency, trust, and relationship building. Additionally, having a robust data collection system has allowed us to tell the story of our mobile program to potential donors as well as community members that can host, promote, or attend one of our events as patients. As of March 2,2025, the Virtua MHCSU has already served 2,783 patients with 2,166 mammograms, 1,308 pap smears, and 1,558 Clinical Breast Exams. At the end of last year, we began collecting data for colorectal screenings, 94, and lung screenings, 62. The program has made over 951+ referrals to primary care.  

Learning Objectives: Assess how mobile mammogram programming can pivot to improve the health of women who have been reluctant to engage in health services Recognizing the important role Community Health Workers play in ensuring the success of the mobile program through relationship building and fostering trust Utilizing qualitative and quantitative data to tell the story of the program to members of the community as well as potential donors