Since 1985, Group Health has provided women with automated mammogram reminders based on their risk of breast cancer. The screening program has several goals:
- Screen all women for breast cancer following appropriate age guidelines.
- Give Group Health radiologists information on breast cancer risk factors that might affect mammogram results.
- Update women’s breast cancer risk factors, which determine their screening interval.
1985—Group Health’s Breast Cancer Screening Program began. All women were mailed a baseline survey to assess breast cancer risk factors when they turned 40 or enrolled in Group Health if 40 or older. The questionnaire used during this period was the BCSP.
1996—Group Health started the Interim Mammography Reporting System (IMRS). Now women could update their risk factors at each screening mammogram using an in-clinic survey. The IMRS survey also contained one page to record radiologists’ mammogram results.
October 2000—The radiologist portion of the IMRS survey was replaced by a new product, IDXrad. IDXrad created a database where radiologists could directly update mammogram results.
June 2001—Group Health combined the baseline and IMRS surveys into a single survey, the Breast Screening Recruitment and Reminders (BSRR) system. The survey was mailed to all Group Health members when they turned 40 or enrolled in Group Health, and a scanned version filled out at every screening mammogram.
2002—Screening examinations no longer include a clinical breast examination done by a nurse. Instead, primary care providers do clinical breast examinations at separate appointments.
September 2005 – The BSRR form was updated, and the format changed to collect additional information.
October 2006—Group Health started its own Web-based health risk assessment form, which was rolled out starting in 2006. This new form, called the Health Profile, asks all Group Health members about health behaviors, risk factors, and medical history. Some of the questions are the same as those on the BSRR survey.
April 2007 – March 2009 – Group Health phased out mailing BSRR surveys to new enrollees and sending mammogram reminder letters. Instead, Group Health phased in mailing annual birthday letters reminding women to fill out the Health Profile and schedule a mammogram based on their individual breast cancer risk. Women continue to fill out the BSRR at the time of their mammogram in order to provide clinic staff information on any current breast problems and to collect information that is not currently included in the Health Profile.