Early detection of cancer saves lives — this week, the Inova Schar Cancer Institute is launching a mobile cancer screening clinic to reduce health care barriers in underserved communities.
“We know that the options you have available to you to treat a stage 1 cancer, versus a stage 3 cancer are very different,” said Liz Stark, manager of outreach and education at the Saville Cancer Screening and Prevention Center.
The program aims to bring potentially lifesaving screenings to underserved communities, and address barriers that include transportation, medical mistrust and lack of information.
“This is going to allow us to actually come into communities and offer mammograms, Pap smears, colon cancer screening, education and opportunities to enroll in research to those in our community,” Stark said.
The Inova Saville Mobile Cancer Screening Clinic will aim to lower the hurdles that prevent people from getting cancer screenings, she said.
“It’s going to include things like weekend hours, so that someone who doesn’t have paid time off at their job, they’re still able to access services,” Stark said.
The program will have funding for those who are uninsured to “help address the financial barriers that are standing in the way,” she said.
How would someone avail themselves of the services available in the mobile clinic?
“It’s not just going to just show up on the street corner, and ask people to get on the bus,” Stark said. “We’re partnering with trusted community organizations, like Nueva Vida, Korean Community Services of Greater Washington, Neighborhood Health — the federally-qualified health care center — who are helping to bring their patient population to the mobile health unit.”
Initially, the clinic will offer mammograms.
“This particular mobile health unit has a 3D state-of-the-art mammography machine, so it’s the exact same machine you’re going to find in any Inova hospital,” Stark said.
What about after the cancer screening?
Stark said the Saville program also includes follow-up care, if the screening turns up something suspicious.
“We’re not in the business of just telling someone, ‘Hey, we think you have cancer, good luck,'” Stark said. “We’re really going to make sure we’re walking them through the entire process.”
After a suspicious mammogram, follow-up care will be provided, even if a patient doesn’t have insurance, said Stark: “That’s also going to include diagnostic imaging, if that’s necessary, and biopsy, if that’s necessary.”
“From that point, Inova has a very strong charity care program,” Stark said. “So, if anyone is found to have a cancer diagnosis, they will assist them in applying for the Inova charity care program, which once accepted, covers the full cost of treatment from start to finish.”
According to Inova, in the Northern Virginia only 60% of adults are up to date on colorectal cancer screenings, with even lower rates in Black, Asian and Hispanic communities.
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