When it’s time to schedule a routine mammogram, you should know some key facts about the hospital or healthcare facility performing the screening as well as its physicians and technology.

Not all facilities offering breast-imaging services have the same capabilities or credentials, according to Dr. Nicholas W. Skezas, board-certified radiologist and chairman of Imaging Services at Saint Joseph Hospital in Chicago.

“Being proactive and asking the healthcare staff good questions before making the appointment can ensure more accurate diagnostic results,” Skezas said. 

Skezas provided a checklist of 12 guidelines to consider when selecting the best healthcare facility for a mammogram:

1.) Accreditation: The facility should be accredited by the American College of Radiology. This means the facility has participated in a thorough accreditation process and meets nationally accepted standards of care. According to the ACR Web site, accreditation shows that staff is certified and qualified and equipment meets or exceeds safety guidelines and quality assurance.

2.) Staff credentials: Radiologists who read the images should be board-certified in radiology, which means they passed a certifying examination. In addition, the physicians should have advanced training in reading digital mammography images. The radiology technologists who perform the screening should be accredited by the ACR and certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

3.) Doctor is on staff at a hospital: Although not required, it can be helpful to have a mammogram at a hospital or center in which your primary physician or gynecologist is on staff. It’s easy for the center to provide reports to its doctors on staff and keep records straight. Reports can get lost in transit when sent to physicians at other hospitals or facilities.

4.) Digital mammography: Full-field digital mammography is the latest technology to screen for breast cancer. Not all facilities have digital mammography, and some still use traditional film. Key advantages of digital mammography are improved imaging, less patient exposure to radiation and reduced exam time. It also provides enhanced images that emphasize contrasts and abnormalities more visibly than traditional film mammography. This may be beneficial if you have dense or thick breasts, are under age 50, or are pre- or peri-menopausal. Digital images are stored electronically and less likely to get lost.

5.) Computer-aided detection, or CAD: Find out if the digital mammography equipment has a CAD system. CAD software raises red flags by highlighting certain areas on the image that need attention, even before the radiologist views the image. This is a helpful tool for radiologists in detecting cancer.

6.) Booking an appointment: You should not have to wait weeks or months to get an appointment for a routine or diagnostic mammogram. Many facilities offer appointments within several days and have evening/weekend hours for patient convenience. Find a center that accommodates both the needs of the patient and referring physician.

7.) Results: Not knowing the results of a screening can cause anxiety and fear. Choose a facility that provides screening results to the referring physician by the end of the day. You should also receive a copy of the written report in one to two weeks. If further action is recommended, you should contact your doctor to arrange for additional testing.

8.) Consistency: For routine mammograms, it’s essential to be screened at the same facility each year so the radiologist can compare images from the prior year. If you switch centers, you will need to bring along last year’s image. 

9.) Additional imaging services: If the mammogram shows an abnormality, you may need additional diagnostic testing such as a breast ultrasound, image-guided biopsies or magnetic resonance imaging, or an MRI. Select a facility that offers these services. It’s easier to have follow-up testing done in the same center, with images and reports kept on file in one place as opposed to going to different places for exams and having to bring along test results.

10.) Full staff of specialists: Should cancer be detected, it is important that the hospital or center have a team of physicians — medical oncologists, surgeons and radiation oncologists — who can coordinate patient care from diagnosis to treatment. Ask your primary care physician or gynecologist about the facility.

11.) Friendly staff and comfortable surroundings: Selecting a center where staff members are kind, understanding and helpful can make a big difference. In addition, the check-in, waiting and exam areas should be private and comfortable.

12.) Yearly reminders: It’s not essential, but certainly helpful when the hospital sends a reminder letter to let you know it’s time for a mammogram.

The American Cancer Society recommends that women 40 and older have a screening mammogram each year. Early detection is key in the fight against breast cancer.

Saint Joseph Hospital provides state-of-the-art digital mammography seven days a week with appointments available within 24 to 48 hours. The hospital meets all of the above guidelines for breast-imaging services.

To schedule an appointment, call (773) 665-3060.