After recognizing a specific need for online mammogram scheduling, the MyUPMC/Find-a-Doc team at UPMC Enterprises brought the concept to life for patients.
The MyUPMC and Find-A-Doc team at UPMC Enterprises recently brought online mammogram scheduling to the app, making it easier than ever for patients to screen for breast cancer. Phase 1 of this update includes appointment opportunities at 11 Magee Womens Imaging locations across Allegheny County.
According to Caitlin Kelley, Senior Product Manager on the MyUPMC team, this update was a result of identifying an organic problem and turning it into a solution.
“‘Mammogram’ is one of the top searched terms on the Find-a-Doc site,” Kelley said. “We knew we had all of these people searching for mammograms, but we weren’t helping patients easily find a UPMC Imaging Center and schedule their exam online.”
Mammograms are one of the best ways to screen for and detect breast cancer early on. For the teams who were initially working on this project, making mammograms more accessible for patients became a priority.
“A screening mammogram is intended for women over 40 who are supposed to get checked out yearly,” Kelley said. “The question for us became, ‘What can we do to make it easier for patients to make these appointments?’”
Thanks to the work from the MyUPMC/Find-a-Doc team, patients using the MyUPMC app can now search for mammograms, find a site in the Pittsburgh region, and within three or four clicks are presented with available time slots to schedule. With Phase 1 of this new feature rolled out, additional phases will include expansions to 18+ additional imaging sites across PA.
Kelley said one of the best parts of this project, and about working at UPMC Enterprises in general, is the opportunity to work together and solve problems. “I would say this project is a really great example of the way our teams at Enterprises collaborate with other teams as part of the broader UPMC ecosystem,” she said. “We worked with our Epic partners, the Magee-Womens Imaging team – it was a group effort, for sure.”
This ability to make a difference in the lives of patients, even from the technological side of things, is what makes Kelley’s job worthwhile.
“It’s a great thing to be involved in a project that’s all about patients getting preventative care for a serious disease,” she said. “Patient access is our big focus, and while this is a great accomplishment, it is the first link in the chain of future projects. I’m looking forward to continuing to make an impact.”
