East West Health Centers/invision Salty Jobe Breast Network Knowledge is Power: Increasing Awareness about Personalized Breast Cancer Risk

摘要

Background: In 2009, Invision Sally Jobe (ISJ) implemented a process by which breast imaging patients were screened for their lifetime risk to develop breast cancer in order to recommend annual breast MRI screening as an adjunct to mammography. Personal and family history characteristics also were checked to indicate the need for a genetic counseling consultation. Personalized recommendations were communicated to the referring physician via breast imaging reports, but patients were not receiving the information directly.During 2009, the center saw an increase in breast MRI screening volume and the volume of office visits with its genetic counselor, but the increase was more modest than expected. Additionally, ISJ's genetic counselor noticed a trend of patients who were unaware of their high risk status and the options available to them, despite this information being communicated to the referring physician via the breast imaging report. At the same time, the idea of direct-to-patient communication about breast density was gaining support in certain states.