University Of New Mexico Hospital

The Breast Program at UNMH is coordinated through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Early Detection (BCC) Team. Breast screening services are provided at UNMH at multiple primary care clinic sites, and the M&FP clinics. Radiology services (mammograms, ultrasounds, breast biopsies) are provided at OSIS for the BCC and NBCF Programs. Cancer Services are provided at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. The BCC team follows patients through the multiple sites, providing navigation and case management services. We have provided a link to the UNM breast services website, which serves as an entry point to the services.

“National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) funding continues to be an important source of funding for low income women with no insurance, or insurance with high deductibles who cannot afford care in New Mexico. In FY 22, we did not receive enough funds through the BCC Program to cover the costs of the mammograms and ultrasounds provided.

“COVID-19 caused many additional challenges, including having to shut down screening mammogram services in 2020, and then receiving a record number of referrals in 2022. In 2021 we focused on providing diagnostic exams to women with symptoms, by 2022 we shifted to proving screening mammograms. Many of the women seen in 2022 has not received screening in over two years. The NBCF served as a vital lifeline for these women.

“We utilize NBCF funds for women under age 30, or for women referred from non-BCC screening sites, who could not access services any other way. Due to COVID-19, we also worked with women who lost their insurance, and may have re-entered the workplace at a job site that did not offer health insurance. We know that that need for the NBCF Program is greater than ever. We hope that more funds will be available in the future so that our successful partnership can continue.” — Aide Atayde-Law, Supervisor for Mammography Services, University of New Mexico Hospitals