With the resurgence of COVID-19 and its variants, many breast imaging facilities are reinstituting operational procedures unseen since the weeks following the end of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-mandated non-urgent care shutdown in July 2020. If your practice is among those reinstituting these procedures, the toolkit below again may help you safely provide screenings during this resurgence, as well as inform patients and referring providers about the steps being taken to ensure patient safety.
Availability issues led many women to skip their 2020 mammogram; the COVID-19 resurgence may cause many more women to do so in 2021. Missed appointments may lead to delayed cancer diagnoses, unnecessary breast cancer deaths and more invasive treatments. Let’s not let this happen. Even during a pandemic, the American College of Radiology® and its members can work together to ensure that patients and referring providers continue to know that Mammography Saves Lives!
This toolkit includes:
- Should I Still Get A Mammogram This Year? — Pamphlet explains to women why they should now schedule their mammogram and outlines changes to the screening process due to COVID-19.
- ACR Guidelines for the Resumption of Breast Cancer Screening — Guidance to help providers safely and effectively resume screening following the COVID-19 shutdown.
- Screening Women at Elevated Risk for Breast Cancer — Pamphlet explains to providers which factors increase breast cancer risk and how these women may need to be screened.
- Template letters to send to both patients and referring providers informing them of your updated procedures and precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These letters can be used and updated with your letterhead.
- Template 1 - Reassurance Letter
- Template 2 - Return to Screening Letter
- Template 3 - Postponed Screening Letter
- Template 4 - Referring Provider Letter
- Patient Safety Infographic — Share with patients to let them know what they can expect when scheduling their mammogram and how you will help keep them safe.
- Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Handout for Patients — Help patients understand their risk.
- Direct your patients to MammographySavesLives.org for information on resuming mammography safely.
