The basics:
- Bergen New Bridge covers mammogram costs for uninsured, underinsured patients
- Axia Women’s Health offers AI-assisted mammograms at no cost
- Early detection remains critical: 1-in-8 US women may develop breast cancer
- Campaign improves access to life-saving screenings across New Jersey
With Breast Cancer Awareness Month underway, health care organizations across New Jersey are stepping up efforts to encourage women to schedule life-saving mammograms.
As the most common cancer among women in the U.S., breast cancer accounts for 32% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women annually, per breastcancer.org. This year, approximately 316,950 women will receive invasive breast cancer diagnoses and about 42,170 are projected to die from the disease.
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, an American woman has a 13% chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime (1-in-8 chance). Overall, there are 4.3 million survivors of breast cancer in the U.S.
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
For the fourth year in a row, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center will pick up the cost of screenings for patients without health insurance and will cover the difference for those who are underinsured.
Bergen New Bridge President and CEO Deborah Visconi commented on the kickoff of the Paramus-based hospital’s “October Is On Us” campaign. “It is no secret that early detection can save lives, especially in the case of breast cancer. Our mission as a safety net hospital is to make sure that those who are most vulnerable and those in underserved communities get access to essential preventative care like mammography,” Visconi said.
Bergen New Bridge’s breast imaging and diagnostic services include a state-of-the-art 3D digital mammography unit, as well as breast ultrasounds and minimally invasive biopsy procedures.
To make an appointment, call 201-977-2592.
The facility reminds patients to get a prescription for their mammogram before their appointment. If individuals received prior breast or mammography imaging from an outside health care provider, they should bring a digital copy of the imaging on disc in DICOM format or send it in advance of the visit, Bergen New Bridge said.
Axia Women’s Health
In an effort to increase access to earlier and more accurate breast cancer detection, Voorhees-headquartered Axia Women’s Health is now using a Food and Drug Administration-cleared artificial intelligence technology with every mammogram at no cost to patients.
Through a partnership with Onsite Women’s Health, the women’s health group has brought MammoScreen to its imaging centers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Indiana. The Therapixel-developed technology acts as a second set of eyes for radiologists by providing a dual-read approach to every mammogram.
AI-assisted mammography enhances traditional screening by offering greater accuracy and earlier identification of potential cancer, the American Cancer Society has found. In retrospective studies, MammoScreen detected 38.5% of screen detectable cancers two years before diagnosis, Axia Women’s Health said.
Dr. Richard Gates, co-chief medical officer of Axia Women’s Health, said, “Women deserve more when it comes to their health. Too often, cost or access can stand in the way of lifesaving care. By providing this added technology at no cost across our many imaging centers, our goal is to break down those barriers and give women greater peace of mind with every mammogram.”
Patients interested in scheduling an AI-assisted mammogram can book online here or by calling 513-721-3200.
