The development and implementation of standards of care in a breast cancer screening program

The development and implementation of process, structure, and outcome standards were an integral part of program development for a mobile mammography screening program that provides service for the economically disadvantaged through the collaborative effort of eight primary healthcare centers, the Dade County Health Department, and the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. The standards are used to guide and evaluate the screening program's operation and to provide the framework for additional program components (e.g., developing performance appraisals and quality assurance and risk management programs, establishing policies and procedures, and serving as the foundation for education and research projects). Examples of standards are provided to assist others in developing a systematic and ongoing evaluation plan for mobile mammography screening.