2007 Action Report Illustrates Mammographers' Commitment to Quality Control & Compliance

While doing some light reading over the weekend, I picked up the 2007 Mammography Facility Adverse Event and Action Report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (My life is really not that boring---the update was sent to my email!)

The first mind-boggling fact was that there are now about 8,800 MQSA-certified mammography facilities operating in the United States.

As my brain started processing all of this, I started thinking about how many mammographers are committed to quality control and compliance issues. Thoroughly testing and accurately charting all aspects of quality control is a huge, and very necessary, part of our job.

From when I first started in mammography nearly 20 years ago until now, this area has seen considerably more attention. In 1992, Congress enacted the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) requiring mammography facilities to meet strict quality standards. After developing interim regulations, final regulations became effective on April 28, 1999.

With every new technology that is brought to mammography, there are new quality control measures and tests to be learned by the mammographers. I know that when we acquired our first digital unit, the wonderful applications specialist was there to explain every little detail of our new quality control program. At first, I thought for sure that she was speaking in a foreign language---I could not imagine a day when I would be comfortably conversing about SNRs and CNRs. Well, I guess the old adage about teaching an old dog new tricks is not always correct! 

While the report does site a few facilities that had to have very serious corrective action taken, my optimistic side has to think of how many facilities there are operating within the strict quality control standards of the FDA. So give yourselves a pat on the back and go back to scoring your phantoms. Just always remember what a truly important service we are providing to our patients!