Recruiting women for breast screening. Family Physician Model strategy

To determine whether family physicians would participate in the Family Physician Model (FPM) recruitment strategy for mammography screening, whether participating physicians differed from non-participating physicians, and whether the strategy would recruit 70% of eligible women in the participating practices.

Family physicians were invited to participate in the project. Staff from the Ontario Breast Screening Program-Hamilton Centre (OBSP-H) identified eligible women, prepared personalized letters recommending screening, and monitored compliance. Participating and non-participating physicians were asked to complete a questionnaire.

Family practices in Dundas, Ancaster, and Hamilton, Ont.

Women aged 50 years and older who met eligibility criteria for screening. Family physicians in Dundas, Ancaster, and Hamilton.

Family physicians were approached by the Health Promotion Officer at the OBSP-H about participating in the FPM. Eligible women in their practices were sent letters recommending breast screening.

Percentage of family physicians agreeing to participate in the FPM, characteristics of participating and non-participating physicians, and percentage of eligible women who scheduled mammograms.

Of the 114 family physicians approached, 76 (67%) agreed to participate. Significantly more participating than non-participating physicians were in group practice and had certification in family medicine. In response to the letters, 54% of eligible women obtained mammograms. Because 12% of women were ineligible since they had been referred for screening within the previous 12 months, 66% of women in the participating practices actually obtained mammograms over the 2-year period-almost the target 70%.

The FPM is a successful recruitment strategy.