The Breast Cancer Screening Program in Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Department of Health has undertaken a Breast Cancer Screening Program which incorporates assessment, policy development, and assurance functions, following the model proposed in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, The Future of Public Health. With the community's help, projects have been implemented to increase screening capacity with dedicated, state-of-the-art equipment, to increase screening accessibility, to publicize the need for mammography, and to minimize false test results. In the program's first 15 months, the proportion of women ages 40 and over who were screened with mammography according to current guidelines increased from 35 to 46 percent (from 38 to 49 percent among women ages 40-49; from 31 to 43 percent among women ages 50 and over), including 15 percent who received their first screening mammogram. Providers' recommendations and knowledge of screening guidelines were important in explaining first-time use. The Department plans to apply the IOM model in other program areas. Its adoption by others is urged.