Brown M L, Kessler L G, Rueter F G
National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Ann Intern Med. 1990 Oct 1;113(7):547-52. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-113-7-547.
The number of dedicated mammography machines installed in the United States has grown explosively. It is estimated that almost 10,000 machines will be installed by 1990, whereas the projected demand for screening mammography will require only approximately 2,600 machines, if the machines are used in a moderately efficient manner. The excess supply of mammography resources raises concern from an economic perspective for several reasons. First, such a condition means that health care resources are being used inefficiently. Second, the low average utilization rate of mammography equipment implied by these results necessitates charging a high price-over $100, on average-to cover costs. This price is above the $50 usually associated with low-cost screening mammography programs, and it may impede a desirable public health trend to increase use of mammography screening. Third, the existence of many mammography facilities operating at low capacity levels is inefficient from a health systems perspective, increasing the cost of quality assurance and medical record keeping. The current condition of excess supply is probably unsustainable over the long term.
美国安装的专用乳腺X光机数量呈爆炸式增长。据估计，到1990年将安装近10000台机器，而如果这些机器以适度高效的方式使用，预计乳腺X光筛查的需求仅约为2600台。乳腺X光资源供应过剩从经济角度引发了多方面的担忧。首先，这种情况意味着医疗资源利用效率低下。其次，这些结果所暗示的乳腺X光设备平均利用率低，就需要收取高价（平均超过100美元）来覆盖成本。这个价格高于通常与低成本乳腺X光筛查项目相关的50美元，可能会阻碍增加乳腺X光筛查使用的理想公共卫生趋势。第三，从卫生系统角度来看，许多乳腺X光设施低负荷运转是低效的，这增加了质量保证和病历保存的成本。目前供应过剩的状况从长期来看可能无法持续。
