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The idea for Mammosafe came to Dr. Daniel Roubein many years ago when he observed what women had to go through to get a mammogram. He saw their long wait times and the increased anxiety due to the waiting and overall experience. “I saw the way that mobile mammography was practiced and truly came to believe that I could solve a lot of these problems by creating ‘The Mammosafe Experience’, an opportunity for any woman to have her mammogram performed in a private, safe, warm and convenient environment,” explains Roubein.

Dr. Daniel Roubein wanted to eliminate the trouble often associated with the procedure and worked diligently to make it as easy as possible for women. Thus Mammosafe was born. A brand new 39 foot mobile coach, complete independent breast imaging center with the latest full-field mammography unit on board. It’s supported by the newest and most innovative computer aided detection system approved by the FDA. The construction of the coach was completed in December of 2013, the day that Dr. Roubein and his father-in-law arrived in Oregon to pick up the coach and drive it home to Houston. In January of 2014, they performed the first mammogram and have been honored to serve many women since then. While there were many certifications to complete and a great deal of paperwork to submit, Mammosafe ultimately became a fully accredited mammography facility and Dr. Roubein is very proud of the accomplishment. Being the first and only mobile breast screening center in the nation with a radiologist on board was Dr. Roubein’s idea because his desire to speak personally with each patient about her results and what those results mean is a very important aspect of “The Mammosafe Experience”. His mission is to remove as much of the anxiety from the procedure as possible.

The exam is performed by Mammosafe’s experienced and certified female mammography technologist, Carla Montgomery, with the assistance of the talented, bilingual and certified female community health worker, Juana Garcia. Garcia explains, “I am the patient services manager for Mammosafe and I take care of the patients from scheduling to making sure they are satisfied even after their mammogram. Mammosafe is one of a kind not only because we provide services that have not been offered before, but because we also have a great team and our number one mission is to make sure our patients are satisfied. I love the one on one communication we have with the patients. Having worked with Dr. Roubein for many years, I know what an amazing person and physician he is and the services he provides to the community are wonderful. His dedication to the patients is what I admire the most.”

After the exam is completed and the patient has dressed, the patient meets with Dr. Roubein in his reading room and office at the front of the coach. “I show the patient her images and explain the findings. This is a wonderful professional interaction which allows me to care for each patient individually,” Dr. Roubein says, adding that, “I receive many thanks and hugs from my patients, something which I did not expect but something for which I am grateful.” Mammosafe is designed to look and feel like a conventional bricks and mortar breast imaging center. There is a waiting area that is warm and inviting, lockers, private dressing rooms, and the mammography suite. The whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes and is always conducted in a friendly and efficient manner without rushing the patient. Houston_Mammosafe-1A company, hospital, independent school district or clinic can place a call to Mammosafe and they take it from there. From Conroe to Liberty or Wharton to Gavelston, Mammosafe serves almost all of the greater Houston area.

The Mammosafe team handles communication with the patients, scheduling and reporting as well as sending results to doctors and answering questions. They provide emails and flyers to help publicize the event which is referred to as a “Mammosafe Day”. Dr. Roubein says, “Some companies opt to pay for our services as a gift dedicated to the health and wellness of their associates. Most use insurance and some pay out of pocket. We have worked with many different entities to date in order to provide on-site mobile screening mammography services.” Some companies include Wharton Independent School District, New Caney Independent School District, Southwestern Energy, Schlumberger, Westland Baptist Church, Wells Fargo Plaza, One and Three Riverway, Winnie Community Hospital, Gulf Coast Medical Center, The John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Science, Lone Star Family Health Center, Sisters Network and numerous health fairs. Dr. Roubein plans on scanning 30 patients a day, six days a week, every week of the year. According to the doctor, Harris County recently reported that more than 29 percent of all women over 40 in Harris County have not had a mammogram in the past two years and these women should be screened every year. Within the Hispanic community, this number has been reported to be as high as 36 percent. “I want to improve these statistics and make screening mammography readily available to all women in a safe, private, caring and compassionate setting. Eventually, I would like to expand the services of Mammosafe to include all aspects of breast imaging, intervention and education,” Dr. Roubein tells Texas MD.  Dr. Roubein implores readers to spread the word about the importance of routine annual screening mammography for all women starting at age 40. He concludes, “I consider it an honor and privilege to serve the breast health needs of the women in the greater Houston metropolitan area.”

For more information call 713-705-2248 or visit www.mammosafe.com.

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