GENERAL INFORMATIONWomen’s Outreach Network, is now operating as the Project Renewal Scan Van Program. Project Renewal is a New York State licensed Diagnostic
and Treatment Center under Article 28 of the New York State Health Regulations.
Project Renewal is an ACR accredited mammography provider. All equipment is certified
under the FDA’s Mammography Quality Assurance Program.
The Project Renewal Scan Van Program is a free service eligible to women.
Most insurance plans are accepted
and patients without insurance are welcome. Women that are 40 and older
should have an annual clinical breast exam and mammogram. If you have
not had a mammogram in the past year, you are welcome to contact us
for an appointment or for information. Women with a strong family history
of breast cancer should consult with their doctor regarding at what
age it would be appropriate to begin screening mammography.
The Scan Van provides thousands of screening mamography exams annually. The
Scan Van
is a mobile
mammography office comprised of three rooms. The entrance opens into
the reception room. Behind the reception room is a room where the patient receives
a clinical breast exam and breast self-examination instruction. In the
back of the van is the X-ray room where the mammography exams are
performed. All patients
will receive a clinical breast exam and a screening mammogram. Films are interpreted by a board- certified radiologist.
Reports are sent to the patient and her doctor in 10 business days.
Patients with abnormal findings are contacted by a patient navigator.
These patients will be navigated to an appropriate medical provider. Uninsured patients will be followed-up
at a partner hospital center with funding provided by the
New York State Cancer Services Program
at no charge to the patient.
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OUTREACH PROGRAM
Thanks to information campaigns, many women know that mammograms are
the first line of defense against the devastating consequences of late
stage breast
cancer. Yet, many women including minority, new immigrants,
seniors, low income, uninsured and underinsured women, are not
being provided with regularly scheduled mammography exams.
Over the years WON has done extensive outreach in each borough and Long
Island. We have developed strong relationships with community leaders, organizations, clinices, places of worship, and community centers, that also serve the uninsured and under-served. Our community leaders are trusted in their neighborhoods to allow only credible and acceptable health care providers access to their people. It is often the out-stretched hand of a trusted member of the community that encourages participation among the most difficult to reach women.
During the last 23 years Project Renewal/WON has conducted hundreds of seminars at local organizations and educated not only the 161,000 women screened but any individual who stopped at the educational table placed in front of the mobile mammography unit. We estimate that the total number of women who received educational information exceeds 250,000. WON reports that approximately 732 cancers have been detected over the years.
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FREE MAMMOGRAMS
Each patient receives a mammogram, clinical breast exam, and breast
self examination instruction. Films and clinical breast
examination assessments are interpreted by our board- certified
radiologists. Project Renewal/WON has provided over 161,000 mammographies
over a period of 23 years. Too many women, either because they are
uninformed, poor, uninsured or inadequate insurance, or living
in culturally cloistered communities where religious beliefs and culture
are strong deterrents to breast screening, do not take this life saving
test. In the greater New York Metropolitan area we are able to reach
women via health fairs, senior citizen groups, elected officials, union
leaders, school administrators, parent/teachers association, religious
organizations, and other non-profit organizations at no out of pocket
cost to the patient.
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IN-REACH PROGRAM
Only a minuscule percentage of women (6% according to the latest study
conducted by the Massachusetts General Hospital) have a mammogram every
year, thus forgoing the only way to reap the full benefits of early
detection. WON sends reminder letters to all the women screened the
previous year and, if no answer is received, phone calls are placed
to the women which encourages them to make their next appointment.
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PATIENT NAVIGATION PROGRAM
Women that require follow-up because of an abnormal mammogram or clinical breast
exam,arecontacted by phone by a Patient Navigator. The Navigator explains
in plain terms the nature of the abnormality and answers any questions
or concerns the patient may have. The Navigator will arrange a follow-up
appointment with an appropriate provider usually at no cost to the
patient. The Navigator continues to follow the patient
through the diagnostic process to insure she complies with follow-up
recommendations and completes follow-up. Navigators request
follow-up reports and document all correspondences. Final outcome
is recorded for the purposes of statistical analysis. The program staff also refers
symptomatic and high-risk women, who should not be seen on the van, to
high risk breast cancer centers and specialist in their area.
