BOLZANO. «Prevention? It only makes sense if it’s timely. It is not possible to wait almost four months (to be precise 3 months and 20 days) to know the result of a mammogram. Such a wait risks compromising early diagnosis and, with it, people’s health.”
Gabriella Boscheriour reader, talks about her experience and invites the Local Health Authority to reflect seriously on this situation and to adopt concrete measures to reduce waiting times. «Otherwise all the efforts made to promote prevention risk being in vain. Furthermore, on December 14th I sent a certified email to the Prevention Department which never received a response.”
The Bolzano hospital is aware of the issue and apologizes: «If there is a serious problem it is highlighted immediately and the patient is notified immediately. If we don’t show up it’s because everything is fine and the times for double reading of the x-rays (carried out by two radiologists) are long.”
The issue is also known to health councilor Hubert Messner: “Communication to the patient must be clear.”
Mammogram performed on September 2, 2024
The reader writes to us that after receiving a circular that underlined the importance of screening, she immediately booked the test which was then carried out in the facilities in Piazzetta Loew Cadonna. «I appreciated the speed with which the appointment was made for me on September 2nd, less than a month after the request. However, on the day of the exam, I was told that the results would be back in two months. After this deadline, when I contacted the facility, I was told that the waiting times had risen to three months.” To date – he says – he has not yet received a response. «When I asked what would happen in the event of a serious anomaly, it was explained to me that a quick check is carried out and critical patients are contacted promptly. But this answer, although partially reassuring, “I don’t have cancer” cannot replace a system that guarantees rapid and safe responses for everyone. In December, after a further reminder, I was told that the wait for the reports had now reached five months. At this point I ask myself: how can we talk about prevention when response times are so long? Prevention only makes sense if it is timely.”
San Maurizio apologizes: «If there is a problem we will let you know»
The medical director of the Bolzano hospital, Monika Zäbisch, apologizes for the delay. «We are recording a strong increase in demand for radiological services and mammography screening. Since these x-rays must always be reported twice, by two specialists, (for safety reasons) the first “reading” is done immediately, to exclude a serious situation, the second “reading” – in case the pathology is excluded – it is carried out as soon as possible but it may take some time. In summary, we would like to remind you that each mammogram is evaluated separately by two radiologists with experience in Senology. The exam is negative – concludes Zäbisch – when both radiologists find no alterations”.
Messner: «Clear communication is needed»
Councilor Hubert Messner knows the situation. «These are the times and they are needed to guarantee safety. Communication to patients probably needs to be clearer. They must be told that if there is a problem they will be contacted immediately, but if all goes well it will take some time to get the report.”
Between 50 and 69 years old only 60.8% respond to the ASL’s invitation
According to the latest ASL data, only 60.8% of women between 50 and 69 years old who received the invitation responded to the screening program. And it is the age most at risk. So far, no targeted research has been conducted in South Tyrol to investigate the causes. The councilor thus reports the latest results of the “Passi” survey at national level. “Lower compliance with screening can be traced back to social reasons: the survey mentions lower level of education, lower economic power and foreign citizenship.” The waiting times for mammography in the local health authority are on average 51 days (this period between the request and the first available date). The wait can even be several months, as South Tyroleans know well, depending on the patient’s willingness to move to other hospitals in the province.