After recognizing a specific need for online mammogram scheduling, the MyUPMC/FAD teams at UPMC Enterprises brought the concept to life for patients.
The MyUPMC and Find-A-Doc teams 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 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 her and her team seeing an organic problem and turning it into a solution.
“‘Mammogram’ is one of the top searched terms on the Find-A-Doc site,” Caitlin said. “We knew we had all of these people searching for mammograms, but the first thing that was coming up in the search results was providers for breast cancer, which isn’t entirely relevant.”
To clarify, patients don’t have to have breast cancer to get a mammogram. In fact, mammograms are one of the best ways to screen for and detect breast cancer early on. Scheduling a mammogram is a normal part of preventative care and not necessarily indicative of a cancer diagnosis.
“A screening mammogram is intended for women over 40 who are supposed to get checked out yearly,” Caitlin 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 team, patients can now search for mammograms, find a site in Pittsburgh, and within three or four clicks be presented with time slots for availability to schedule. With Phase 1 of this new feature rolled out, additional phases will include expansions to 18+ additional testing sites across PA.
The success of this project truly demonstrates the essence of collaboration and innovation at UPMC Enterprises.
“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 folks – it was a group effort, for sure.”
When going through the process of booking a mammogram online, patients are now prompted with several questions to ensure they just need a regulatory check-up, versus a more urgent check-up for a lump, implant issues, or any other similar health concerns. Again, this level of detail was designed by the MyUPMC team with patients in mind.
For Caitlin, this ability to make a difference in the lives of patients, even from the tech side of things, is what makes her 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,” Caitlin 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.”
