Breast Radiologists: Extenders of Primary Care

Optimizing the Patient Experience in Breast Imaging Facilities: AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review

Breast imaging studies are complex examinations for patients and providers. Breast imaging providers and organizations invest significant resources in educating patients and referring physicians to address variability in changing breast cancer screening recommendations, cultural biases, and socioeconomic barriers for patients. The breast imaging examination frequently involves multiple imaging modalities, including interventional procedures, thus requiring multiple room types. Practices need to consider the variables that affect workflow efficiency throughout the process of examination scheduling, performance, interpretation, and results delivery, as well as options in facilities design for creating inviting yet functional environments for patients. Breast imaging appointments provide an opportunity to capture individual breast cancer risk and to engage patients in health education and breast screening awareness. This AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review discusses ways in which breast imaging facilities can optimize a patient's experience throughout the complex process of a breast imaging examination, based on the authors' observations and opinions informed by private and academic breast imaging experience.

Factors Contributing to Disproportionate Burnout in Women Breast Imaging Radiologists: A Review

Physician burnout continues to increase in prevalence and disproportionately affects women physicians. Breast imaging is a woman-dominated subspeciality, and therefore, worsening burnout among women physicians may have significant repercussions on the future of the breast imaging profession. Systemic and organizational factors have been shown to be the greatest contributors to burnout beyond individual factors. Based on the Mayo Model, we review the evidence regarding the 7 major organizational contributors to physician burnout and their potential disproportionate impacts on women breast radiologists. The major organizational factors discussed are work-life integration, control and flexibility, workload and job demands, efficiency and resources, finding meaning in work, social support and community at work, and organizational culture and values. We also propose potential strategies for institutions and practices to mitigate burnout in women breast imaging radiologists. Many of these strategies could also benefit men breast imaging radiologists, who are at risk for burnout as well.

Patient Diversity in Breast Imaging: Barriers and Potential Solutions

Recent reports have highlighted disparities in breast cancer care related to patient diversity. Breast radiologists represent the face of breast imaging and are key players in advocating for patients to reduce these disparities. Diversity-related barriers for breast imaging patients, as they journey from screening to survivorship, include impediments to access and quality of care, gaps in communication, and lack of knowledge in both providers and patients. Potential strategies for overcoming these specific barriers include "culturally tailored" nurse navigators, mobile mammography, improved communication, patient and provider education, and breast radiologist involvement in advocacy efforts promoting diversity. As current trends in recommendations and guidelines for breast imaging include more numerous and advanced imaging modalities, it is important to acknowledge and address diversity-related disparities.

Improving Breast Imaging Clinical Productivity

Given current and evolving medical expectations from patients and ever-increasing complexities and demands placed upon clinical breast radiologists, to include patient access, workflow, communications, and timely medical reports, we need support systems to help advance professional productivity and efficiency. Likewise, advancing technological support with integrated systems should help support the objectives of increased professional productivity, career satisfaction, and quality patient care. In this report, we review important elements that help advance the mission of clinical breast radiologists, while meeting or exceeding patient expectations.