Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Does the debate over breast screening need a reboot? That's the intriguing question posed by two editorials published this week in Annals of Internal Medicine.
The first article cuts to what some believe is the heart of the mammography debate: that while there is a mortality benefit to breast screening, it's not as great as that of some other screening tests. Therefore, population-based screening studies with differences in study design can lead to divergent findings on mammography's benefits, which need to be balanced against the test's risks.
The editorial's conclusion is that screening is not the panacea for breast cancer we once expected it to be -- and, therefore, our society should direct more attention to preventing cancer from happening in the first place.
The second editorial takes another controversial position, with the authors arguing that there's little to be gained by debating the merits of randomized clinical trials performed 40 to 50 years ago. A new clinical trial is needed with today's screening technologies and therapies to settle the question once and for all. But how -- and where -- would such a trial be conducted?
Read more about these thought-provoking articles by clicking here, or visit our Women's Imaging Digital Community at women.auntminnie.com.
New Mary's Musings
In other news, Dr. Mary Morrison Saltz is back with her latest Mary's Musings, this time on who will control physician performance evaluation.
Mary recalls the first time she was officially evaluated after making partner and how uncomfortable it felt. Despite how you feel about them, physician evaluations are becoming more commonplace, especially thanks to new Joint Commission rules.
Bur rather than seeing physician evaluation as a hassle, Mary sees it as an opportunity to gather data that can be used to improve quality and make practices more responsive. What's needed are robust, automated tools that will take much of the administrative headache out of evaluation.
Learn more by clicking here, or visit our Imaging Leaders Digital Community at leaders.auntminnie.com.
RADPAC donations
Finally, visit our Residents Digital Community for a new article on why (and why not) residents donate to RADPAC, the radiology political action committee (PAC) associated with the American College of Radiology Association.
While some skeptics like to skewer RADPAC for being unable to stave off repeated cuts in reimbursement for imaging exams, the article points to what the PAC has accomplished -- such as preventing even more severe cuts from occurring.
Read more by clicking here, or visit our Residents Digital Community at residents.auntminnie.com.
