Taipei City Hospital

      In order to provide convenient health services and meet the health requirements of disadvantaged groups, the Taipei City Government has set up a Mobile Mammography Van for female citizens, in order to provide community screening on the go with high quality equipment and professional services, serving citizens for whom it is inconvenient to visit the hospital, and to meet the requirements of disadvantaged groups.

      Lin Jiaxing, a doctor of the Radiology Division at the Heping Fuyou Branch of Taipei City Hospital, points out that according to the WHO, mammography is currently the only breast cancer screening tool that has been verified to be effective; only mammography with excellent quality control can meet the strict requirements.

      The mobile mammography van is equipped with fully digital mammography instruments that have passed certification by the USFDA, female radiographers that have passed certification by the Bureau of Health Promotion and wireless networking equipment for connections to hospitals, so that the medical equipment and instruments inside the van are on par with those of a hospital.

      Inside the van, examination gowns with good privacy that have obtained design patents are provided, with professional female medical staff assisting people with the examination and providing professional reports, related consultation services and advice, as well as healthcare videos after the examination; beyond that, the van is also equipped with a coffee machine so that instead of a cold waiting room, people can even drink coffee while watching health education videos.

      In Taiwan, the incidence rate of breast cancer, among all female cancer patients, ranks first, with a death rate ranking fourth. Various data show that breast cancer has a high cure rate if detected and treated early on, with a survival rate of up to 96% for the first stage. Women who suffer from breast cancer are generally younger than those in Europe and North America, aged between 45 and 64 years old, with ages 45 to 49 being the largest group. Each year, around 8,900 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Taiwan and over 1,800 die from the disease. The mobile breast cancer screening launched by Taipei City takes the community as the main service target. It is hoped that the addition of the mobile mammography van will provide the public with more convenient one-stop community services.