It’s no secret that Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States leads the nation in breast cancer screening. And now, we provide those screening results instantly upon completion of a screening appointment.
Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group (MAPMG) Radiology and health care teams recently announced this innovative practice. Not only can patients receive a printed letter with their results, handed to them by the radiology technician shortly after their mammogram is finished, they can now receive their mammography report via kp.org as soon as the result has been finalized by our radiologist (for patients who don’t have time to wait the few minutes after the mammogram in order to receive the results in-person). Radiology will continue to print letters at point of service for members who are not registered on kp.org or any who desire it.
“As a leader, instant results is one of our region’s best examples of our commitment to innovation and multi-disciplinary approach to breast cancer detection and treatment,” said Cedric Wilson, Regional Director, Imaging Service. “Our members will have less sleepless nights with this transformation of care.”
And our members are singing the praises of instant results, too. “One member described this mammogram as ‘the best mammogram ever’,” said Wilbur Chang, MD, Assistant Regional Medical Director for Imaging Services.
More than 90 percent of patients are receiving their results in less than 30 minutes from the completion of the mammogram to report finalization, with an average time of 12.8 minutes.
“This level of service for a population of screening mammography patients is literally unheard of anywhere else in American medicine,” says Bruce Wollman, MD, MAPMG Associate Medical Director for Healthcare Utilization. “No other health care delivery system, from highly-regarded academics to ‘concierge medicine’ (nor even in any other KP region), is offering the convenience and peace of mind in knowing that a patient’s breast cancer screening results will be routinely sent to her smartphone within 30 minutes, regardless of whether or not a radiology physician is onsite to read the mammogram. Combined with immediate access to expedited recall breast imaging, same-day/next-day breast biopsy capability and 24-48 hour pathology results, this will also enable our entire patient population to have the most rapid breast cancer diagnostic capabilities, as well.”
