Workforce shortages in breast imaging: impact on mammography utilization.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to develop reliable forecasts of the future supply of radiologists and radiologic technologists practicing mammography under different assumptions about future introduction of new practitioners. In addition, this article includes basic mammography workforce statistics to provide a context for the forecasts. MATERIALS AND METHODS The forecasts were developed using an age cohort flow model based on data provided by the American College of Radiology (ACR) on the numbers and age distribution of radiologists and on data provided by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) on radiologic technologists providing mammography services. RESULTS The forecasts show that the current rates of production of new mammography professionals will result in dramatic reductions in mammography professionals per woman age 40 years old and older over the next 15-20 years. CONCLUSION Unless the number of new mammography professionals entering practice every year increases beyond the current levels, there will be a growing gap between the supply of and demand for mammography professionals over the next two decades.

[1]  E. Burnside,et al.  The use of batch reading to improve the performance of screening mammography. , 2005, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[2]  E. Thurfjell,et al.  Benefit of independent double reading in a population-based mammography screening program. , 1994, Radiology.

[3]  Valerie P Jackson,et al.  Survey of radiology residents: breast imaging training and attitudes. , 2003, Radiology.

[4]  P. Kornguth,et al.  Massachusetts radiology resident attitudes toward mammography. , 2005, Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR.

[5]  Mythreyi Bhargavan,et al.  Workload of radiologists in the United States in 2002-2003 and trends since 1991-1992. , 2005, Radiology.

[6]  Albert W Wu,et al.  The influence of health status, age, and race on screening mammography in elderly women. , 2005, Archives of internal medicine.

[7]  L. Tabár,et al.  The impact of organized mammography service screening on breast carcinoma mortality in seven Swedish counties , 2002, Cancer.

[8]  J. Elmore,et al.  Accuracy of screening mammography using single versus independent double interpretation. , 2000, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[9]  Philip Smith,et al.  Clinical inquiries. When should we stop mammography screening for breast cancer in elderly women? , 2001, The Journal of family practice.

[10]  L. Tabár,et al.  Beyond randomized controlled trials , 2001, Cancer.

[11]  B A Miller,et al.  Recent trends in U.S. breast cancer incidence, survival, and mortality rates. , 1996, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[12]  The more eyes, the better to see? From double to quadruple reading of screening mammograms. , 2007, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[13]  Rebecca S Lewis,et al.  A portrait of breast imaging specialists and of the interpretation of mammography in the United States. , 2006, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[14]  J. Hendriks,et al.  Initiation of population-based mammography screening in Dutch municipalities and effect on breast-cancer mortality: a systematic review , 2003, The Lancet.

[15]  L. Bassett,et al.  Professional and economic factors affecting access to mammography: A crisis today, or tomorrow? , 2005, Cancer.

[16]  Melanie Pinet,et al.  Increase in cancer detection and recall rates with independent double interpretation of screening mammography. , 2003, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[17]  H. Kaplan,et al.  Increase in mammography detected breast cancer over time at a community based regional cancer center: a longitudinal cohort study 1990–2005 , 2008, BMC Cancer.

[18]  S. Feig.  Screening mammography: a successful public health initiative. , 2006, Revista panamericana de salud publica = Pan American journal of public health.