Who gets repeat screening mammography: the role of the physician

Risa B. Burns, Boston University
Karen M. Freund, Boston University
Arlene S. Ash, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Michael Shwartz, Boston University
Lisa Antab, Boston University
Ruth E. Hall, Boston University

Abstract

To determine rates of, and explore physician factors associated with, repeat mammography, administrative data for 791 women aged 50 years and older were examined. Three-fourths of the women (73%) received repeat mammography (i.e., a second mammogram was obtained within six to 18 months of the first). Provider factors associated with higher repeat mammography rates were: being a woman, practicing in the women's health group rather than the general internal medicine service, and being a fellow or an attending physician (p-values < 0.01). Patients of women attendings/fellows had higher repeat mammography rates than did those of men attendings/fellows, men residents, and women residents. Characteristics (gender, level of training) of providers strongly influence their patients' screening behavior.