Coorscreen: a low-cost, on-site mammography screening program

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Oncology

Background:

• Coors Brewing Company, a self-insured employer, has prioritized workforce health and wellness since 1981.
• A comprehensive health and wellness program was established to support employees, spouses, and retirees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement an ongoing breast cancer screening and prevention awareness program for all female employees, spouses, and retirees.
• To reduce company healthcare expenditures through the early detection of breast cancer.

Main Methods:

• The Coorscreen program initiated mammograms for female employees, spouses, and retirees starting in September 1985.
• Over an 8-year period (1985-1993), 12,210 mammograms were performed, achieving an 83% participation rate.

Main Results:

• Forty-seven malignant conditions were identified, with 43 early and 4 late detections.
• Early breast cancer detection among employees averaged $12,388, while late detection averaged $143,398.
• The program yielded an estimated total savings of $3,110,000 based on early detection in 10 employees and 26 spouses.

Conclusions:

• The Coorscreen program demonstrated significant cost savings, totaling $2,441,190 after accounting for screening and procedural costs.
• Early detection of breast cancer proved substantially more cost-effective than late detection.
• The program highlights the financial benefits of investing in proactive employee health screening initiatives.