Radiology department launches initiative promising same-day breast biopsies
An academic radiology department has launched a new initiative, promising same-day breast biopsies to help curb patient wait times.
Typically, when a mammogram or ultrasound unearths a highly suspicious lesion, patients must wait up to three weeks to determine if they have breast cancer. However, University of Chicago Medicine is hoping to eliminate this “agonizing wait,” offering same-day breast and lymph node biopsies for those whose imaging results suggest a high likelihood of the disease.
UChicago’s goal in launching the “Biopsy Now” program is to ensure patients undergo all tests in one visit, leading to faster diagnosis and a “head start on treatment,” if necessary.
“It’s been a game-changer,” UChicago radiologist Kirti Kulkarni, MD, said in a statement Oct. 16. “What was taking 21 days could be achieved in less than one week.”
The academic medical center first launched the initiative on Sept. 15, claiming it’s the only hospital in the Chicago area to offer same-day biopsies. It now immediately schedules patients to meet with a breast cancer surgeon after imaging, often on the same day, where possible. Kulkarni and colleagues were able to launch the new offering by eliminating some of the biggest bottlenecks in their system, which can sometimes delay care.
Biopsy Now does so by creating a new “reflexive” work order for OB-GYNs and primary care physicians. This includes allowing breast radiologists to proceed with additional tests by placing orders themselves. UChicago also has reorganized staff schedules and workloads to allow them to perform biopsies on the same day where possible. They’ve additionally hired a new breast cancer nurse navigator to help the process run more smoothly.
“You can know who your care team will be on day 1,” explained UChicago surgical oncologist Cristina O’Donoghue, MD, MPH. “After a suspicious finding, having this all done on the same day gives patients peace of mind, knowing they’re going to have answers.”
UChicago isn’t alone in offering same-day biopsies. Denver Health in May detailed its efforts to reinvent the care pathway. The safety net institution estimated the initiative has helped reduce patient wait times by approximately 73%, from 13 days down to 3.5.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.