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Providence’s New Mobile Mammography Coach
Screening Made Simple
enefits managers can now schedule onsite mammograms, saving employees time and preserving productivity.
Providence Imaging Center is excited to announce the launch of its new Mobile Mammography Coach, designed to make life-saving breast cancer screenings more accessible than ever. For benefits managers, this innovation offers a unique opportunity: you can bring high-quality mammography directly to your employees, eliminating the need for them to take paid time off and helping your organization preserve productivity.
Breast cancer screening saves lives. Detecting cancer early means more treatment options and better outcomes. That’s why Providence Imaging Center has invested in its newest state-of-the-art mobile coach equipped with the same Hologic 3D mammography system used at its hospital imaging center. Screenings performed on the coach are read by the same expert radiologists who interpret studies at Providence Imaging Center, ensuring accuracy and consistency. “When you find breast cancer early, you have more options versus when you find it in later stages,” says Caleb Terpstra, director of diagnostic imaging at Providence Imaging Center.
This new coach is the fifth in Providence Imaging’s fleet, continuing a mission that began in 1995: to reduce barriers to care for women across Southcentral Alaska. Funded by donations to Providence Alaska Foundation and Providence Cancer Center, the service primarily serves Anchorage and surrounding areas in the fall and winter and reaches communities from Homer to Talkeetna in the summer months, traveling by ferry to Valdez and Cordova. By bringing advanced technology directly to workplaces and remote areas, Providence is improving health outcomes and increasing access to essential preventive care.
The Mobile Mammography Coach is efficient and impactful. It can accommodate up to eighteen screenings per day, and it is expected to serve more than 20,000 women and detect over 1,000 cases of breast cancer over its lifespan. These numbers underscore the importance of regular screening and the difference this program will make in saving lives and providing peace of mind.
For employers, hosting the Mobile Mammography Coach is simple and costeffective. There is no fee to bring the coach on site, and most insurance plans cover mammograms. Appointments take about fifteen minutes, and results are typically available within 24 hours through MyChart, Providence app, or through the patient’s medical provider. By scheduling screenings during the workday, employees avoid using their limited PTO for medical appointments, and employers maintain productivity—a true win-win.
Beyond convenience, on-site screenings foster a culture of wellness. “When employees see their peers participating, they are more likely to complete their own annual screenings and encourage family members to do the same,” Terpstra explains. “This ripple effect can lead to broader preventive health engagement across the workforce.”
Benefits managers play a critical role in promoting employee health. By partnering with Providence Imaging Center, they can offer a valuable service that demonstrates the organization’s commitment to well-being while minimizing disruption to business operations. Together, we can make preventive care easier, faster, and more accessible – because early detection saves lives.
Eseta Poulivaati
Information and Scheduling