While it's not cheap, digital mammography equipment can provide a strong return on investment by increasing the capacity for providers to conduct tests, according to a new report from research firm KLAS.
The research by Orem, UT-based KLAS says that about one-half of the Mammography Quality Standards Act-certified facilities in the U.S. have adopted digital mammography gear. Implementing this technology typically increases patient throughput, which helps providers repay their investment quickly, the firm concludes.
The report concedes that it may take both technicians and physicians several months to restructure their workflow, but that in the end, the process becomes far more efficient, outweighing the effort required to get up to speed.
KLAS cites one example of a provider who previously had a year-long backlog of mammography exams. When they implemented digital mammography along with modern scheduling and a PACS, they suddenly were able to schedule urgent patients for same-day exams and routine exams within one week.
To learn more about digital mammography trends:
- read this Healthcare IT News article