RAD-AID and Breast Care for Washington (BCW) launching mobile 3D mammography for underserved areas of the DC metropolitan area, with support from Hologic.
Death rates from breast and cervical cancer are disproportionately high among women of color in the United States (Source: CDC). RAD-AID partnered with Hologic and Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) to deliver innovative multidisciplinary women’s healthcare, including public health outreach, nursing and community navigation, breast and cervical cancer screening, radiology, and other medical services.
Mission and Overall Goal
The mission of the RAD-AID USA Women’s Health Access Initiative is to improve breast and cervical cancer outcomes in underserved women by improving access to screening and diagnostic services. Our goal is to develop resource-appropriate, sustainable strategies at pilot sites that we can scale to reduce these disparities across the US.
Leadership
Under Dr. John Scheel’s leadership, our evidence-based approach will deliver breast cancer screening and diagnostic services in regions of the United States where healthcare inequalities disproportionately impact women of color. Meet the RAD-AID USA team!
Program Sites
Hologic’s grant to RAD-AID will advance innovative care, including radiology, public health education, and community and patient navigation at multiple regional sites specially selected by RAD-AID as clinical partners to provide screening, diagnostic breast imaging, and treatment for women who may otherwise go without.
Our program sites and facilities are:
- ARMS Healthcare – Birmingham, AL
- Mountain Park Health Center – Phoenix, AZ
- Denver Health – Denver, CO
- Breast Care for Washington and Community of Hope – Washington, DC
- Augusta University Medical Center, Community Healthcare Systems, Inc. and East Georgia Healthcare Center– Augusta, GA
- Jackson Park Hospital and University of Illinois Cancer Center – Chicago, IL
- NYU Langone Health – New York, NY
- Thomas Jefferson University – Philadelphia, PA
- UTMB Health – Dallas, TX
- Sea Mar Community Health Centers – Seattle, WA
Integrated Care Model
Within each site, there are multiple facilities. This figure of the Integrated Care Model depicts how each facility interacts with each other to produce higher quality care.
In the community, navigators educate the public and address barriers to help women access care at their primary care clinic. This includes scheduling screening, diagnosis and biopsy appointments, arranging travel, enrolling the underinsured in regional and federal insurance programs/charity care, sending reminders, and explaining care received.
This Integrated Care Model intentionally focuses on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to improve care. FQHCs are located in our target communities and are often staffed by health workers who are from the same community or have cultural competence with the population.
Black Women’s Health Imperative
National Alliance for Hispanic Health
News
The Power of Sure with Mary J. Blige and More Special Guests – October 13th, 2020
PBS News Hour – Why women face a triple threat from breast cancer – June 3, 2021
BWHI and Hologic ring the NASDAQ morning bell to bring attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Month – October 8, 2021
RAD-AID on The Ellen Show: Fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month – October 2021