The design and implementation of a community breast cancer screening project

A breast cancer screening program offers a community the opportunity to highlight and address an important health issue. This article has described the important elements of any such screening effort. To be successful, the program will require a multidisciplinary cadre of health care professionals working collaboratively throughout all phases of the planning, screening, and follow-up process. An agency should be identified to lead these professionals and monitor the progress of the screening effort. These screening programs can have direct and indirect benefits in the community. The direct benefits include improved access and delivery of health services, particularly those that meet state-of-the-art quality standards. The indirect benefits involve the promotion of breast cancer screening through education of women and providers about good breast health practices. As our experience in Michigan has shown, efforts featuring a broad coalition of forces can foster debate and discussion throughout the community and ultimately lead to improvements in the delivery of breast cancer screening services.