Institute of Medicine finds 'Serious Decline in Access' to Mammograms Litigation, increased insurance costs thought to be among causes of the decline
June 10, 2004
A report from the Institute of Medicine says women face a "serious decline in access" to mammograms--the best method for early detection of breast cancer currently available.
CNN reported,
"In parts of Florida, three-month waits for an appointment are common. In New York City, the average wait for a first-time mammogram is more than 40 days, compared with two weeks in the late 1990s. . . . [T]he number of mammography facilities has dropped by 8.9 percent since 2000. . . .
The decline is thought to be due to low insurance reimbursement for mammograms, rising malpractice litigation and fewer radiologists choosing breast imaging instead of other specialties.
The shortage comes as even more women--an additional 1.2 million each year--become old enough to need routine mammograms. Yet no more than three dozen breast-imaging subspecialists--the radiologists with the most mammography expertise--enter the profession each year." (CNN, "Advisers Urge Greater Mammogram Access," 6/10/04)
The report notes:
"Though no one knows the actual costs of settling malpractice suits, since many are settled out of court, these settlements are thought to contribute to the ever-escalating cost of malpractice insurance for radiologists who read mammograms, a barrier to attracting newcomers to the profession."
Litigation may be responsible not only for declining access, but also for an increase in false-positive mammogram readings:
"[T]he number of false-positive mammogram readings--when something suspicious turns out to be noncancerous--has nearly doubled. . . . That may be due partly to radiologists practicing 'defensive medicine' in hopes of avoiding lawsuits."
Click here to read the Institute of Medicine Report, "Saving Women's Lives: Strategies for Improving Breast Cancer Detection and Diagnosis," 2004.
| 
