Inpatient mammograms can improve preventive screening

A small pilot study was published in the Annals of Family Medicine in January, in which patients with low incomes were offered mammograms during an inpatient hospital stay, the results of the study suggested that such measures can boost the screening rates.

Dr. Andrew Hwang who was the lead author in the study stated that the only way to perform preventive screening tests such as mammograms on patients such as the one with low income is to do it during hospitalizations. 

Thus the target of their study was to identify and perform preventive screening mammography for patients who would otherwise miss such preventive services in an outpatient setting.

For the study, screening mammography was performed on patients who were admitted to the hospital during the period of one year which was from March 2019 to March 2020. 

Based on their eligibility criterion 39 patients were chosen but only 17 patients could complete the screening. Out of which 16 patients showed no significant changes on a preventive scan but 1 patient had an inconclusive BI-RADS 0 result.

The results showed that even the woman with the age of 60 had never had a screening mammogram before this study.

“Thus to attain equity in the healthcare system there should be more innovative solutions that can offer care to those who cannot afford such services. Also if such measures can come under routine practice then patients can be served for their acute and preventive medical needs simultaneously.

The authors stated that they will aim to extend their study further. Also, additional preventive services and cancer screenings would be offered to both men and women from their side.