Mammograms while you shop: Walk-In screening clinic inside Walmart in Hanford

HANFORD, Calif. (KSEE) — Shoppers at the Walmart in Hanford can now do more than check off their grocery list — they can check off an important health screening, too.

Just steps from the self-checkout is Mammogram Now, a fully equipped, walk-in breast screening clinic. It offers one of the valley’s only 3D imaging mammogram machines, with no appointment or doctor’s referral required.

For Anna James Miller, a mom and real estate agent who is at genetic risk for breast and ovarian cancer, the technology is what convinced her to get her mammogram at Walmart.

“I wanted the very best place for my annual mammograms,” Miller said. “It’s easier than getting your hair done or your nails done. You’re just in and out.”

The clinic is also helping patients who typically wait weeks or months for an appointment elsewhere. Veteran mammogram tech Anna Morales said it provides both convenience and comfort.

Patients under 40 who are due for their yearly mammogram can simply walk in, get a screening and get the results through a digital portal, sometimes within hours.

“They’re able to just come in and ask questions, get their exam done,” Morales said. “I think that decreases anxiety.”

By removing hospital waitlists and placing high-tech equipment in an unexpected but familiar setting, Mammogram Now is working to keep more women on track with life-saving screenings.

According to RadNet, Mammogram Now’s parent company, about a third of women aren’t getting their recommended breast screenings, and 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart. The first Mammogram Now opened in 2023 in Milford, Delaware. The second opened in Hanford, and there are plans to expand to more Walmarts across the country.