Holy Name Medical Center Expands Cancer Screening Access in Bergen County

Holy Name Medical Center launched an expanded cancer screening access initiative this fall, deploying a mobile mammography and colorectal screening unit alongside new weekend appointment hours aimed at reaching Bergen County residents who have historically skipped routine screenings due to scheduling or transportation barriers.

The mobile unit will rotate through community centers, houses of worship, and workplace parking lots across the county, offering same-day mammograms without requiring a separate clinic visit. Hospital officials say the initiative specifically targets neighborhoods where screening rates have lagged the countywide average, often correlating with lower household income and limited access to primary care.

"Screening only works if people actually show up, and we know transportation and inflexible weekday hours are two of the biggest reasons they don't," said Holy Name Medical Center Director of Community Health Teresa Palumbo. "Bringing the mammogram to a church parking lot on a Saturday removes almost every excuse."

Holy Name says early results from the mobile unit's first month show a meaningful share of participants had never previously received a mammogram or had gone more than five years since their last screening. Hospital officials describe the program as an early-detection strategy expected to reduce late-stage cancer diagnoses over time, though they caution that measurable outcomes will take several years to assess.

The health system plans to add a second mobile unit next year focused specifically on colorectal cancer screening kits and follow-up coordination.