Supply and Quality of Screening Mammography: A Radiologist's View

Excerpt

There are increasing concerns about rising costs and inadequate distribution of medical care and services such as mammography in the United States. The charge for mammography is a deterrent to its widespread use (1). Frequently the charges are the same for screening mammography (asymptomatic women) and that done for diagnostic or problem-solving purposes (symptomatic women), even though the former often requires considerably less time and effort (2). This is especially true when both types of examination are done at the same location. Mass screening mammography, however, represents an improvement; by examining more women per mammography machine per day, costs can