Screening mammography in the Tampa Bay area: current status and implications for the next decade

The current status of screening mammography in the Tampa Bay area is evaluated by three parameters: accessibility, cost and quality, and the screening resources necessary to reach the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) cancer control goals for the year 2000 in this area are projected. Fifty-two mammographic facilities were surveyed comprising 64 units in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Manatee Counties. The number of units is adequate to serve the current needs of the population eligible for screening; however, the number of facilities offering low-cost examinations is not adequate. Only a few facilities have documented quality assurance through the American College of Radiology. These results and those projected for the year 2000 suggest that new efforts will be necessary to meet the NCI-2000 goal for screening mammography. We have made recommendations to clinicians and radiologists for strategies to meet this challenge.