COVID-19 lockdowns forced cancer screenings to a screeching halt, with one recent study reporting that nearly half of all breast cancer survivors experienced care disruptions at the pandemic’s onset.
And now doctors are scrambling to get patients back for their annual visits, the Carroll County Times reported Wednesday. Bertan Ozgun, MD, a physician with Advanced Radiology—one of the largest imaging providers in the country—estimates only 50% of his patients have had their annual mammogram.
“If people don’t get their mammograms and develop breast cancer in this timeframe, it is possible the diagnosis will be delayed and treatment will be more complicated,” Ozgun told the County Times. “We have been sending reminder letters to people, so everyone knows our offices are safe to come get screenings.”
Lucas Couch, MD, a primary care provider at Carroll Hospital in Westminster, Maryland, said he missed more than 100 appointments during the lockdown and is currently seeing up to 16 patients each day.
Read more from the Carroll County Times below.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.