COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Abida Solomon

TITLE: EVALUATION OF A BREAST CANCER SCREENING PROGRAM FOR FEMALE VETERANS WITHIN PATIENT CARE ALIGNMENT TEAMS AT VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER

ABSTRACT: Breast cancer remains a significant health concern among women veterans and is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Early detection through routine screening mammography is associated with improved outcomes; however, adherence to recommended screening guidelines remains a challenge within some healthcare settings. This variability underscores the need for ongoing evaluation of breast cancer screening programs to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement in preventive care delivery. This quantitative descriptive program evaluation assessed breast cancer screening adherence and patient-reported screening experiences among women veterans receiving care within Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACTs) at a large, urban Veterans Affairs healthcare system. Guided by the Logic Model Framework, the evaluation examined whether the breast cancer screening program achieved the organizational benchmark of 75% screening adherence among eligible women veterans aged 40 to 74 years and assessed patient-reported experiences using the Breast Cancer Screening Experience Questionnaire. Data were obtained from Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) breast cancer screening reports, electronic health record (EHR) data, and questionnaire responses collected during the evaluation period. Monthly breast cancer screening adherence rates remained relatively stable throughout the evaluation period, ranging from 72.34% to 73.62%, and remained below the organizational benchmark of 75%. Patient experience was assessed using questionnaire responses from 132 women veterans. Findings indicated highly favorable perceptions of the breast cancer screening process, with mean scores ranging from 4.52 to 4.82 on a 5-point Likert scale. The highest ratings were observed for privacy, facility cleanliness and comfort, staff respect, and overall satisfaction. Comparatively lower ratings were observed for provider explanation of the importance of breast cancer screening, communication with the healthcare team, and provider responsiveness to questions, although these ratings remained favorable overall. The evaluation found that breast cancer screening adherence remained below the organizational benchmark throughout the evaluation period, indicating opportunities for continued improvement in screening participation. Conversely, patient-reported experience findings demonstrated successful achievement of the program objective related to positive screening experiences. Findings support the importance of access, patient engagement, communication, and care coordination in promoting participation in preventive screening services. These results provide evidence to inform quality improvement initiatives aimed at increasing breast cancer screening participation and enhancing patient-centered care among women veterans.

Keywords: Breast cancer screening, Patient Aligned Care Teams, patient experience, program evaluation, screening adherence, Veterans Affairs, women veterans

Location Online:

Zoom Link:

https://pvpanther.zoom.us/j/95636880848?pwd=kHHBoGmvFyJJkOZeZdarCRwtDhu76j.1