Boost Breast Cancer Awareness and Brand Reputation

These three creative initiatives are being used by hospitals and health systems to destigmatize breast cancer screening and treatment.

The medical community has long hammered home that early detection is critical for successful breast cancer treatment.

This fact recently hit home when a family member, after having her first mammogram in more than a decade, was diagnosed with an early stage of the disease. She was lucky that her primary care physician insisted on the diagnostic and that after relatively minimal treatment, she went into remission.

My relative's situation is a helpful reminder that, while most women understand they should get an annual mammogram after age 50 (or sooner, depending on family history), there are still many barriers that prevent them from getting screened. Maybe they don't have transportation to an imaging center, maybe they can't afford a mammogram, or maybe they're just scared.

So to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, here are three of the most innovative ways hospitals are boosting breast cancer screenings and awareness—along with their brand reputation—in 2014.

St. John Providence Health System's Mobile Mammography Program

Thanks to a private $1 million donation, St. John Providence Health System, a 2,340-bed health system in Detroit, has outfitted a motor coach to serve as a breast cancer screening center. The Soave Family Mobile Mammography and Health Screening Program will provide free and low-cost breast cancer screenings and other medical tests at community centers, churches, and other organizations throughout Detroit.

The program will work hand-in-hand with the hospital's Because We Care program, which helps uninsured and underinsured women cover medical costs.

The coach will be outfitted with the latest equipment, including tomosynthesis mammography, which produces a 3D image of the breast to provide a clearer view than traditional testing. It also has two private dressing rooms with a separate clinical exam room.

All patients diagnosed with a breast abnormality through the mobile program will be contacted by a nurse navigator to guide them through additional testing and any treatment, Kathy LaRaia, vice president of the St. John Providence Health System Oncology and Weight Management Centers of Excellence, told The Detroit Free Press.

While the coach won't be up and running until mid-November, positive word-of-mouth is already spreading through the Detroit community.

"I spent nine years in a hospital system where we would regularly see women diagnosed with breast cancer at such a late stage that their lives couldn't be saved," Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan told the paper. "Early detection saves lives. It's a great plan that's been done in other cities. It's very successful, and I'm glad to see it come to Detroit."

Apollo Hospital's Martinis, Mammos, and Manicures Event

Apollo Hospital, a specialty cancer hospital in Shenandoah, TX, is holding a Martinis, Mammos, and Manicures event on October 22 to promote breast cancer awareness and give local women the opportunity to speak with hospital physicians, surgeons, and radiologists who specialize in breast health.

Event planners hope the evening will create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere to foster health discussions. Mammograms will performed on-site during the event, or guests can schedule an appointment for a future date. As an added bonus, representatives from local lingerie shops will be on hand to offer fittings.

"Cancer is still a word that terrifies people and something women don't want to talk about," Henna Malik, MD, a physician in Apollo's oncology department says in a press release. "It is through events like this we hope make the conversation of breast health and care easier for women and encourage them to take the simple steps to detect the disease in its earliest stages."

For hospital marketers, events like Martinis, Mammos, and Manicures can help remove the fear associated with mammograms. Women can visit the hospital for a night out with friends and do something positive for their health while they're at it. It's also a great way to introduce new potential patients to your facility, whether women screened need further testing or not.

The Nationwide Pink Glove Dance

Hospitals and health systems around the country are helping to boost breast cancer awareness by participating in the Pink Glove Dance, a contest program that prompts groups to create 90-second videos to spread the word about breast health and early detection. At the end of each contest, the group that created the video with the most votes is awarded $15,000 to donate to the breast cancer organization of its choice.

Each year more and more healthcare organizations have participated, mobilizing staff and the community to film and vote for their video.

Union Hospital in Blairsville, GA, featured 100 employees in its Pink Glove Dance submission this year.

"It's a great way to take a very serious subject and at least for a couple minutes, give a lot of people hope using dancing and pink gloves," Mike King, Union Hospital marketing specialist, told a local paper.

Bellin Health in Green Bay, WI, used its affiliation to the Packers football team to its advantage when creating its Pink Glove Dance video. The health system enlisted the help of several star players, as well as many breast cancer survivors.

"It's inspiring that more than 200 people gave their time and energy to make this video a reality," Jody Wilmet, vice president of Bellin's cancer center, told Packers.com. "Our video is a meaningful and memorable way to honor and support those dealing with breast cancer. We're excited to be part of this movement and hope that our video earns your votes."