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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Aalia K. Khawaja, MPH, Planning and Business Development, Sinai Health System, 1500 S California Ave, Room K443, Chicago, IL 60608, (773) 257-5777, khaaa@sinai.org and Kristi L. Allgood, MPH, Urban Health Institute, Sinai Health System, 1500 S California Ave, Rm K449, Chicago, IL 60608.

Since 1990 the disparity in breast cancer mortality rates between Black and White women in Chicago has increased dramatically. Some attribute this to inferior breast screening quality available to poor women. In addition, quality has become increasingly more important in health care as reimbursement and accreditation often depend upon an individual hospital's performance on certain key indicators. In 2004, a quality study of 6,329 screening mammograms performed at Mount Sinai Hospital, a safety net institution that predominantly serves an African American and Latino population, indicated at least 13% of patients with abnormal mammograms did not return for follow-up. A review of breast cancer cases between 1999-2003 revealed 23% of patients did not receive treatment within 30 days of diagnosis, a treatment standard adopted by the hospital's cancer committee. In late 2005, Mount Sinai was awarded a grant by the Avon Foundation, which will allow for quality improvement in the delivery and follow-up related to breast health services. By using a collaborative, multi-disciplinary/departmental approach, opportunities have been identified for improving breast health services delivery from screening mammography through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Other components of our program include navigation services to reduce barriers to breast health services, improving the prospective treatment planning process, and reducing the loss to follow up with respect to abnormal mammograms. Due to this collaborative approach and the additional resources provided, we expect to increase the number of screenings performed, decrease our lost to follow-up rate, and improve the quality and coordination of breast health care.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how a service line management approach can be applied in the coordination of breast care
• Identify the methods used to reduce loss to follow up in a mammography program
• Apply a model for improving breast cancer services in a low-resource setting
• Demonstrate how accreditation related performance measures can guide improvements in quality of care
• Describe the challenges and rewards associated with offering multi-departmental services to women

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered