The Hamilton County Health Department’s Breast and Cervical Screening Program is expanding its services and staff to keep up with the demand of our growing community. The Tennessee Department of Health recently increased funding for Hamilton County’s Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program. This increased funding allows the Health Department’s Breast and Cervical Screening Program to bring on additional staff to help support our community in new ways.
As Hamilton County’s population continues to expand, so does the need for women’s health services such as breast and cervical screenings. Over the last few years, the Breast and Cervical Screening Program has exceeded the previous years’ numbers. In 2022, the program served 1,459 patients –that is 33% of the 4,370 eligible patients in Hamilton County and 419 more patients treated than in 2021. At this time, our program has served over 368 patients, compared to last year’s 344 patients.
This additional staff will help the Breast and Cervical Screening Program reach more Hamilton County residents than ever before. This staff will be able to help navigate more women in their healthcare journey, break down healthcare barriers, and better meet the needs of our patients. The Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program provides timely and age-appropriate breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals meeting program eligibility criteria. The goal of the TBCSP is to decrease cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality by focusing on underserved populations, who have increased cancer risk due to health disparities. The barriers that our Breast and Cervical Program plan to target include, but are not limited to financial, communication, medical system, transportation, and health literacy.
Eligible individuals enrolled in the TBCSP receive funded breast and/or cervical cancer screenings, which may include follow-up diagnostic procedures. The Breast and Cervical Screening Program is available at all Health Department locations including, our main campus at 3rd street, Birchwood, Ooltewah, and Sequoyah Health Centers. To find out more about eligibility and program information, please visit our website at Health.Hamiltontn.gov or call 423-209-8009.
Additional resources
- If you would like to request for the Breast and Cervical Screening Program to provide an educational course or outreach event, please email: [email protected] or call 423-209-8009.
- Masks are encouraged while inside all Hamilton County Health Department facilities.
- To read this information in Spanish, visit the Health Department’s Spanish Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SaludHamiltonTN
