Wheels of Wellness: Chattanooga VA Offers Mobile Mammography Bus to Drive Health Care Accessibility
In an effort to enhance health care accessibility for Veterans, the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) Chattanooga VA outpatient clinic recently collaborated with CHI Memorial MaryEllen Locher Breast Center to introduce a groundbreaking initiative.
On Friday, Jan. 9, the clinic welcomed a mobile mammography bus, marking a significant stride toward extending crucial screening services to Veterans in the region.
Lynn Daugherty, registered nurse and women's health program manager at TVHS, reflected on the initiative's impact.
“For the women’s health program, we are very excited to expand services in the form of a mobile mammogram bus to women Veterans who might not have been able to come in for a mammogram,” Daugherty expressed.
This innovative approach saw the mobile clinic catering to 20 Veterans on its inaugural day, signaling a promising start aimed at providing vital health care solutions to those who have served their nation.
Despite the Chattanooga area not containing a women Veteran population large enough to justify full-time mammogram services at the clinic, Daugherty and other physicians recognized the necessity of still extending these crucial services to Veterans. Thinking beyond conventional boundaries, they forged a partnership with the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at CHI Memorial in Chattanooga, leveraging their mobile mammogram bus to deliver essential health care services to Veterans.
Under the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Internal Outside Networks (MISSION) Act, when VA cannot provide services, qualifying Veterans can receive their care in the community with providers, paid for by VA.
Veterans who qualify for community care through VA and receive a referral for mammography services are now eligible for an appointment at the mobile mammography bus.
“Now, Veterans can come on-site to a place that they’re already familiar with to receive their care,” Daugherty stated.
She emphasized the significance of reaching women Veterans, the fastest-growing demographic within TVHS, noting, “Women’s health care is very different than men’s health care and requires different elements to that health care. We need to be able to offer that.”
The partnership between TVHS Chattanooga VA outpatient clinic and CHI Memorial is about detecting breast cancer early, but also about empowering all Veterans to take proactive steps toward their health and well-being.
“A gentleman approached the table and asked if men can receive mammogram services,” Daugherty recalled. “He’s right, there are occasions when men do need screenings too.”
This underscores the commitment to providing comprehensive health care services to all Veterans, regardless of gender, and reinforces the accessibility and inclusivity of the initiative.
Looking ahead, Daugherty expressed optimism about the continuation of this mobile service, stressing its importance in reaching underserved populations.
“It’s exciting to be able to reach populations that are so far away from our central clinics because we know that Veterans receive better care at the VA,” she concluded.