Facilitated "Fast Track" Referral Reduces Time from Abnormal Screening Mammogram to Diagnosis

ABSTRACT

Background: The Screening Mammography Program of British Columbia (SMPBC) implemented voluntary, facilitated referral to diagnostic imaging ("Fast Track") after testing 5 interventions to reduce time from an abnormal screening mammogram to diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to compare time intervals for patients evaluated through the Fast Track process with patients who were not.

Methods: Data were extracted from the SMPBC database for women with abnormal screens conducted from January 1, 2003 to June 30, 2005 (N=40,292). After exclusions, 39,607 screens were analyzed. Median and 90th percentile times were calculated from abnormal screen to diagnosis and for …