Newly named Mobile Health Center brings essential cancer screenings to communities

This year brought a big name change for a popular Denver Health clinic on wheels. The Women’s Mobile Clinic – one of three Denver Health Mobile Health Centers providing health services throughout the Denver metro area – is now the Cancer Screening Mobile Health Center.

“The primary reason for changing the name is Denver Health’s commitment to fostering an inclusive culture that embraces diversity in race, beliefs, sexual orientation and access for all,” said Mobile Health Supervisor Rosa Moran. “We recognized the need for a more inclusive name, and the change was long overdue.”

The Cancer Screening Mobile Health Center offers breast exams and screening mammograms, as well as cervical screenings. “Our goal is to assist community members who might find it hard to reach the main campus,” Moran continued. “By bringing the health center to their neighborhoods, people can conveniently get essential cancer screenings near their workplace or home.”

Mammograms are effective in detecting breast cancer at an early stage when it’s most treatable. Regular screenings starting at age 40 (or earlier if advised by your provider) can identify tumors before they can be felt during a breast self-exam. Studies have shown that routine mammography screening in individuals 40 and older is associated with a decrease in breast cancer mortality.

Supervisor Reflects on 12-Year Career at Denver Health

Moran has worked at Denver Health for more than 12 years and has been with the Mobile Health Centers since 2012. A Mexican immigrant who arrived in Denver in 1999, she said the department “chose her” because of her background in trucking services; she previously worked as a professional commercial driver with a Class A CDL license and was a business owner. She has always treated the Mobile Health Centers as if they are her own and loves taking them into communities for patient outreach.

“The mission of Denver Health resonated with me, as it focuses on providing high-quality, accessible healthcare to the community,” Moran said. “I contribute to the mission while also advancing in my career in a supportive and fulfilling workplace.”

Moran is most proud to be part of a compassionate team that dates back more than 20 years in Denver. The Denver Health Mobile Health Centers have served food banks, churches, mosques, shelters, correctional care facilities, health fairs and private businesses. “We consistently deliver the highest quality and equitable health care,” Moran said. “We gain our patients’ trust by treating them with empathy, respect and dignity – addressing any concerns or questions regarding their care. I am thankful to contribute to the widespread acceptance our programs have gained in the community.”

She points to the teamwork that makes this work in the community possible, including two community outreach care navigators, five care navigators, five drivers, two technologists, APP providers and more. Collaboration with the Breast Imaging team at the Outpatient Medical Center is also key. “Being able to screen a patient from a shelter and have her diagnosed by the Breast Imaging team on the same day is a mark of quality care for those who need it the most,” she said. “Otherwise, reaching these patients after their screening mammograms is challenging.”

Moran has a lot to be proud of in her personal life as well. She is the mother of a son and daughter and grandmother to a little girl. She enjoys spending time with her husband cooking Mexican cuisine, biking and hiking. She credits her parents with her skills as a seamstress and being a “Jane of all trades.”

Moran encourages anyone to make an appointment to visit the Cancer Screening Mobile Health Center. There are many ways to do so:

• Through MyChart.
• By calling one of our care navigators at 303-602-6115.
• By calling the appointment center at 303-436-4949.
• At their next regular primary care check-up at any Denver Health location.

No referrals are needed for asymptomatic patients. If you are unable to schedule an appointment, walk-ins are welcome.

To see where the Mobile Health Center is headed next, see our schedule here.