COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Abida Solomon
TITLE: IMPROVING BREAST CANCER SCREENING COMPLIANCE AMONG FEMALE VETERANS: A QI EVALUATION PROJECT
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the United States, with women veterans facing heightened risks due to fragmented care, psychosocial stressors, and toxic exposures during service. Despite a robust breast cancer screening program at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, adherence (65%) among eligible veterans falls below the Veterans Health Administration’s national benchmark of 85%. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Houston VA’s breast cancer screening program in meeting its goals – screening compliance, timeliness of mammogram completion, and patient satisfaction to identify actionable opportunities for improvement. Methods: A quantitative evaluation design will be used. De-identified electronic health record (EHR) data from eligible female veterans aged 40 years and older will be extracted to measure mammography completion rates, wait times, and missed appointments. Patient satisfaction will be assessed using standardized items from the Veterans Affairs Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP). Descriptive statistics summarize key outcomes, while chi-square tests and t-tests will be used to evaluate differences in adherence and timeliness across groups. Results: TBA. Implications: TBA.
Location Online:
Zoom Link:
https://pvpanther.zoom.us/j/95529571724?pwd=HGjnjPAcDyuB1ErdyfqJI33bsrXS4R