Charleston, SC – The MUSC Hollings Cancer Center will roll out its news Mobile Health Unit (MHU) for cancer screening at a news conference Friday, April 13, 2007 at 12 noon at the Welcome Pavilion in the Hollings Cancer Center, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street. The new MHU has cutting edge technology and is one of the best equipped mobile health units in the country. Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, State Representative David Mack II and Dr. Andrew S. Kraft, Hollings Cancer Center Director, will participate in the unveiling.
Unlike its predecessor, the new MUSC Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) mobile unit more than doubles the types of cancer screenings that can be done. The old unit primarily screened women for breast and cervical cancer. The new MHU has far greater screening capabilities that include prostate, colorectal, oral and skin cancer screenings. Many of these cancers are the most frequently diagnosed in South Carolina. With digital mammography capabilities, the number of women screened also will double from 15 per day to 30 per day.
Dr. Andrew Kraft says “The new mobile health van will bring 21st century screening technology to the community. No film will be required. This will enable us to increase the number of screening mammograms in Lowcountry communities”. Digital mammography is considered superior to film mammography for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer.
Between 2004 and 2006 more than 4,000 people in the Lowcountry were screened on the MHU, many of whom otherwise would not have received services. “Over and over, patients have said they feel more comfortable on the unit than they would feel in a hospital or clinical setting,” says Debbie Bryant, RN, MSN, HCC’s Director of Outreach Services. “The clinicians and staff on the unit understand the patients’ communities. They reach out beyond hospital walls to have a true personal touch with patients. It’s a warm, nurturing place.” The mobile health unit helps eliminate barriers to care like transportation for people living in rural communities.
The new MHU also expands the Hollings Cancer Center’s outreach services – not only will poor and underserved communities receive screenings and care, but the unit also provides a unique opportunity for government, businesses and industries to utilize the services for its employees. Plans for developing work-site screening partnerships will promote healthier workers, healthier workplaces and reduces loss time for employers and employees who otherwise would have to leave work to go to hospitals and/or radiologists.
The 40-foot MHU, which was built in Columbus, Ohio, cost more than $700,000 with the state-of-the-art equipment and furnishings. The annual operating budget will be about $200,000 a year. It includes a mammography room, exam room, lab, and dedicated space for counseling and a waiting area.
The Hollings Cancer Center is also stressing the educational services available. These include tobacco cessation, nutrition counseling, physical activity, and teaching oral, breast and testicular self exams.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death among South Carolinians. The Hollings Cancer Center is the state’s leader in cancer research, care and prevention. Nearly 2,000 patients were diagnosed with cancer at the HCC last year and other cancer services contributed to more than 80,000 cancer-related visits. Dr. Kraft says at the Hollings Cancer Center hope “is the expectation – the absolute belief - that we will find better ways to diagnose, treat, prevent and even cure the disease. By committing ourselves to pursuing those discoveries, we’re making hope a reality in the fight against cancer”.
