Breast cancer screening complacency and compliance.

An HMO initiative designed to increase the compliance rate for the preventive service (mammography) is described. By looking at Security Health Plan charge data and sending a letter of notification when women are not up-to-date on their screening mammography, we were able to increase the mammography compliance rate from 47% to 72%. This system is designed to supplement the preferred method of recommendations by the primary care physician aided perhaps by a chart reminder system. Some problems with the methodology are described.