On four wheels and about 50 feet long, it represents a unique way to make health care access even easier, but also boasts some serious technology inside.

A St. Luke’s mobile breast health clinic had operated in locations across central, southern and southwestern Idaho, along with eastern Oregon. But the need continued to grow, especially in rural areas.

Plans years in the making came to fruition this summer when a new mobile unit hit the road, focusing on the Magic Valley and Elmore County.

“This has been a huge need in the area for our rural communities,” said Stephanie Schroeder, St. Luke’s mobile mammography coordinator. “Since we have gone live, I have had it in multiple locations and at almost every location we have seen patients that have never had a mammogram, or it has been years since they have had one done.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, Idaho has the third-lowest rate of women 40 and older receiving a mammogram in the last two years, and the second-lowest rate among women 50 and older.

Implementing a mobile unit brings care closer to the patient, and in addition, can accommodate those who did not even have an appointment.

And the technology on board is top-notch. The St. Luke’s Elmore Medical Center does not currently have a 3-D unit, so patients seeking that scan would have to travel to Twin Falls or Boise. The mobile unit has 3-D technology, which not only allows more patients to be seen, but also provides a more thorough scan.

That decreases the number of patients asked to return because of indeterminate lesions on their screening and can also give them a quicker result, either giving peace of mind or an immediate plan on how to address abnormalities.

“(Our region) has the lowest rate of early breast cancer detection and the highest mortality rate in the state,” said Dawn Soto, St. Luke’s Magic Valley Foundation executive director. “That’s why this project matters so deeply to us. We are proud to be part of an effort that expands access to care and supports our rural communities, where resources are often limited but the need is great.”

In October alone (which also happens to be Breast Cancer Awareness Month), outside of Mountain Home and Twin Falls, the unit planned to visit Castleford, Filer, Hansen, Gooding, Heyburn, Jerome and Bellevue.

“Since Idaho is one of the lowest states for women getting screenings, it’s great to see the numbers getting better with every location,” Schroeder said.

And it was the people of those communities that helped make it possible in the first place, as efforts to launch the mobile unit raised more than $450,000 in community donations. More than 400 donors in the Magic Valley and Elmore County gave philanthropic gifts to help bring the project to life.

St. Luke’s Foundation events, including the annual Elmore Golf Classic, have helped raise funds, as the Magic Valley and Elmore County Foundation teams raised $200,000 each for a total of $400,000. Those dollars were split evenly to fund the unit and to provide mammograms for uninsured and underinsured patients in the regions.

“This mobile mammography unit is what happens when compassion takes the wheel,” said Travis Bradburn, St. Luke’s vice president and chief philanthropy officer for St. Luke's Foundation. “Because of our incredibly generous donors, more people in the Magic Valley and Elmore County can get life-saving screenings close to home. It’s one more way we live our vision to be the community’s most trusted partner in health.”

Those interested can call (208) 706-2055 to schedule an appointment or email us to learn more about having the breast health mobile clinic featured at an event.