Dr Jane Rendell, who worked at Gander for six years until being sidelined in September 2019 due to ongoing disputes, was one of three radiologists who wrote to the Department of Health and Community Services on 10 October 2019. They warned that the breast screening program at Central Newfoundland Regional Hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor was not accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) and therefore did not undergo the rigorous audits that other facilities had to pass. They also outlined 15 other concerns with Central Health’s radiology department, including the number of out-of-province radiologists being hired for as little as a week at a time to fill gaps. “They just ignored us,” Rendell said of the regional health authority and provincial health department. “Basically, I think we were considered troublemakers because we had problems and we would raise them. They didn’t like the doctors doing that. They wanted us to shut up and do what we had to do.” In the past two weeks, Central Health has discovered that about 3,000 mammograms were read on substandard monitors and must be reviewed. Central Health says all images were taken in Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander. After that discovery, the province’s three other health authorities reviewed their own processes and found that about 14,000 mammograms from other regions needed to be reviewed because they were being read on three-megapixel screens instead of five-megapixel screens. None of the health authorities explained how this happened or where any of the mammograms were actually analyzed after they were taken. Rendell isn’t sure if it has anything to do with the problems described in the letter she co-signed with Dr Shelley Dalton and Dr Paula Kennedy, but assumes there is some overlap. Central Newfoundland Regional Health Center in Grand Falls-Windsor does not have an accredited mammography program. (PracticeNL.ca) Central Health did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication. Health Secretary Tom Osborne, who takes over the portfolio in July 2022, said he was not aware of the letter. “This is new information to me today,” he told CBC News on Thursday. “I can certainly speak to the CEO of Central Health about this. My understanding from Central Health was that this incident was reported to the CEO very recently.”
How does accreditation work?
Eight facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador have accredited programs. These mammography units are inspected annually to ensure that all aspects meet the standards set by CAR, which administers the accreditation scheme. But the process is a bit more complicated than that. If a facility is listed as accredited on the CAR website, it does not necessarily mean that all units and radiologists in the building are accredited. This became an issue in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005, when the Canadian association called on the province to make accreditation mandatory for all mammography units and asked women to avoid places that were not fully accredited. Rendell says the breast screening program in Gander – in which women who have never had cancer get regular annual exams – is CAR accredited and strictly monitored. But he said diagnostic mammography, which screens women who have a history of cancer or are believed to have cancer, is not accredited and therefore units and staff are not inspected by the Canadian association. In their 2019 letter, Rendell, Dalton and Kennedy called for all programs to be regulated the same way. “The only way to ensure that the standard of care in mammography is provided to all Central Health women is through regular audits and peer review of the breast screening program,” they wrote.
“They’re role models for a reason”
There has been some discussion about the importance of broad review of mammograms. Dr Angela Pickles, head of medical imaging at Eastern Health, said there was little difference between a three-megapixel screen and a five-megapixel screen. He said the two are “so close that the human eye struggles to differentiate any minor incidents at this level.” Neither health authority said where the mammograms now being reviewed were first analyzed. There is speculation from people like Dr. Jane Rendell that some were read at home. (Torin Halsey/The Associated Press) Dr. David Jacobs, head of the Ontario Association of Radiologists, said the 5-megapixel screen is the best technology available, but it may not make that much of a difference in most cases. While a small blemish may be crystal clear on a five-megapixel screen, it will still be visible on a three-megapixel screen. Rendell, however, said the small difference can have a huge impact. “When you do a mammogram, you’re looking for one thing. It’s like Where’s Waldo. You’re only looking for breast cancer. That’s the only serious disease you’re going to see in the breast. If you miss it, it’s a big deal,” she said. “If you’re missing microcalcifications and stuff because your screen isn’t good enough, I’m sorry, but that’s just not up to the right standard, and they’re standards for a reason.”
Testing at home?
Central Health’s refusal to say where the images were analyzed has led to questions about mammograms being read at home, especially during the pandemic. Rendell and Jacobs said it’s fairly common for radiologists to read them at home — but it’s also expensive. Jacobs said a proper setup requires four screens, which cost upwards of $40,000. Jacobs said three-megapixel screens are much cheaper. Rendell believes this is a big factor in the current predicament. “I think what these people were had triplets in their house and decided they wanted to read mom on them anyway,” he said. “It’s an established theory. I’ve worked in radiology for a long time.” Whatever the case, Rendell believes more discrepancies will be found, even if they are simply due to human error. “I still think you have to have the best equipment because you’re going to have human error anyway, even with the best equipment. So if you start with inferior equipment, your human error is going to be higher. And it’s not fair to O patient is the person at the bottom of it’. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
title: “3 Radiologists Warn Central Health About Concerns About Mammography Accreditation In 2019 Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-04” author: “Gary Laigle”
Dr Jane Rendell, who worked at Gander for six years until being sidelined in September 2019 due to ongoing disputes, was one of three radiologists who wrote to the Department of Health and Community Services on 10 October 2019. They warned that the breast screening program at Central Newfoundland Regional Hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor was not accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) and therefore did not undergo the rigorous audits that other facilities had to pass. They also outlined 15 other concerns with Central Health’s radiology department, including the number of out-of-province radiologists being hired for as little as a week at a time to fill gaps. “They just ignored us,” Rendell said of the regional health authority and provincial health department. “Basically, I think we were considered troublemakers because we had problems and we would raise them. They didn’t like the doctors doing that. They wanted us to shut up and do what we had to do.” In the past two weeks, Central Health has discovered that about 3,000 mammograms were read on substandard monitors and must be reviewed. Central Health says all images were taken in Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander. After that discovery, the province’s three other health authorities reviewed their own processes and found that about 14,000 mammograms from other regions needed to be reviewed because they were being read on three-megapixel screens instead of five-megapixel screens. None of the health authorities explained how this happened or where any of the mammograms were actually analyzed after they were taken. Rendell isn’t sure if it has anything to do with the problems described in the letter she co-signed with Dr Shelley Dalton and Dr Paula Kennedy, but assumes there is some overlap. Central Newfoundland Regional Health Center in Grand Falls-Windsor does not have an accredited mammography program. (PracticeNL.ca) Central Health did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication. Health Secretary Tom Osborne, who takes over the portfolio in July 2022, said he was not aware of the letter. “This is new information to me today,” he told CBC News on Thursday. “I can certainly speak to the CEO of Central Health about this. My understanding from Central Health was that this incident was reported to the CEO very recently.”
How does accreditation work?
Eight facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador have accredited programs. These mammography units are inspected annually to ensure that all aspects meet the standards set by CAR, which administers the accreditation scheme. But the process is a bit more complicated than that. If a facility is listed as accredited on the CAR website, it does not necessarily mean that all units and radiologists in the building are accredited. This became an issue in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005, when the Canadian association called on the province to make accreditation mandatory for all mammography units and asked women to avoid places that were not fully accredited. Rendell says the breast screening program in Gander – in which women who have never had cancer get regular annual exams – is CAR accredited and strictly monitored. But he said diagnostic mammography, which screens women who have a history of cancer or are believed to have cancer, is not accredited and therefore units and staff are not inspected by the Canadian association. In their 2019 letter, Rendell, Dalton and Kennedy called for all programs to be regulated the same way. “The only way to ensure that the standard of care in mammography is provided to all Central Health women is through regular audits and peer review of the breast screening program,” they wrote.
“They’re role models for a reason”
There has been some discussion about the importance of broad review of mammograms. Dr Angela Pickles, head of medical imaging at Eastern Health, said there was little difference between a three-megapixel screen and a five-megapixel screen. He said the two are “so close that the human eye struggles to differentiate any minor incidents at this level.” Neither health authority said where the mammograms now being reviewed were first analyzed. There is speculation from people like Dr. Jane Rendell that some were read at home. (Torin Halsey/The Associated Press) Dr. David Jacobs, head of the Ontario Association of Radiologists, said the 5-megapixel screen is the best technology available, but it may not make that much of a difference in most cases. While a small blemish may be crystal clear on a five-megapixel screen, it will still be visible on a three-megapixel screen. Rendell, however, said the small difference can have a huge impact. “When you do a mammogram, you’re looking for one thing. It’s like Where’s Waldo. You’re only looking for breast cancer. That’s the only serious disease you’re going to see in the breast. If you miss it, it’s a big deal,” she said. “If you’re missing microcalcifications and stuff because your screen isn’t good enough, I’m sorry, but that’s just not up to the right standard, and they’re standards for a reason.”
Testing at home?
Central Health’s refusal to say where the images were analyzed has led to questions about mammograms being read at home, especially during the pandemic. Rendell and Jacobs said it’s fairly common for radiologists to read them at home — but it’s also expensive. Jacobs said a proper setup requires four screens, which cost upwards of $40,000. Jacobs said three-megapixel screens are much cheaper. Rendell believes this is a big factor in the current predicament. “I think what these people were had triplets in their house and decided they wanted to read mom on them anyway,” he said. “It’s an established theory. I’ve worked in radiology for a long time.” Whatever the case, Rendell believes more discrepancies will be found, even if they are simply due to human error. “I still think you have to have the best equipment because you’re going to have human error anyway, even with the best equipment. So if you start with inferior equipment, your human error is going to be higher. And it’s not fair to O patient is the person at the bottom of it’. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
title: “3 Radiologists Warn Central Health About Concerns About Mammography Accreditation In 2019 Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-16” author: “Bryan Finnegan”
Dr Jane Rendell, who worked at Gander for six years until being sidelined in September 2019 due to ongoing disputes, was one of three radiologists who wrote to the Department of Health and Community Services on 10 October 2019. They warned that the breast screening program at Central Newfoundland Regional Hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor was not accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) and therefore did not undergo the rigorous audits that other facilities had to pass. They also outlined 15 other concerns with Central Health’s radiology department, including the number of out-of-province radiologists being hired for as little as a week at a time to fill gaps. “They just ignored us,” Rendell said of the regional health authority and provincial health department. “Basically, I think we were considered troublemakers because we had problems and we would raise them. They didn’t like the doctors doing that. They wanted us to shut up and do what we had to do.” In the past two weeks, Central Health has discovered that about 3,000 mammograms were read on substandard monitors and must be reviewed. Central Health says all images were taken in Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander. After that discovery, the province’s three other health authorities reviewed their own processes and found that about 14,000 mammograms from other regions needed to be reviewed because they were being read on three-megapixel screens instead of five-megapixel screens. None of the health authorities explained how this happened or where any of the mammograms were actually analyzed after they were taken. Rendell isn’t sure if it has anything to do with the problems described in the letter she co-signed with Dr Shelley Dalton and Dr Paula Kennedy, but assumes there is some overlap. Central Newfoundland Regional Health Center in Grand Falls-Windsor does not have an accredited mammography program. (PracticeNL.ca) Central Health did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication. Health Secretary Tom Osborne, who takes over the portfolio in July 2022, said he was not aware of the letter. “This is new information to me today,” he told CBC News on Thursday. “I can certainly speak to the CEO of Central Health about this. My understanding from Central Health was that this incident was reported to the CEO very recently.”
How does accreditation work?
Eight facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador have accredited programs. These mammography units are inspected annually to ensure that all aspects meet the standards set by CAR, which administers the accreditation scheme. But the process is a bit more complicated than that. If a facility is listed as accredited on the CAR website, it does not necessarily mean that all units and radiologists in the building are accredited. This became an issue in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005, when the Canadian association called on the province to make accreditation mandatory for all mammography units and asked women to avoid places that were not fully accredited. Rendell says the breast screening program in Gander – in which women who have never had cancer get regular annual exams – is CAR accredited and strictly monitored. But he said diagnostic mammography, which screens women who have a history of cancer or are believed to have cancer, is not accredited and therefore units and staff are not inspected by the Canadian association. In their 2019 letter, Rendell, Dalton and Kennedy called for all programs to be regulated the same way. “The only way to ensure that the standard of care in mammography is provided to all Central Health women is through regular audits and peer review of the breast screening program,” they wrote.
“They’re role models for a reason”
There has been some discussion about the importance of broad review of mammograms. Dr Angela Pickles, head of medical imaging at Eastern Health, said there was little difference between a three-megapixel screen and a five-megapixel screen. He said the two are “so close that the human eye struggles to differentiate any minor incidents at this level.” Neither health authority said where the mammograms now being reviewed were first analyzed. There is speculation from people like Dr. Jane Rendell that some were read at home. (Torin Halsey/The Associated Press) Dr. David Jacobs, head of the Ontario Association of Radiologists, said the 5-megapixel screen is the best technology available, but it may not make that much of a difference in most cases. While a small blemish may be crystal clear on a five-megapixel screen, it will still be visible on a three-megapixel screen. Rendell, however, said the small difference can have a huge impact. “When you do a mammogram, you’re looking for one thing. It’s like Where’s Waldo. You’re only looking for breast cancer. That’s the only serious disease you’re going to see in the breast. If you miss it, it’s a big deal,” she said. “If you’re missing microcalcifications and stuff because your screen isn’t good enough, I’m sorry, but that’s just not up to the right standard, and they’re standards for a reason.”
Testing at home?
Central Health’s refusal to say where the images were analyzed has led to questions about mammograms being read at home, especially during the pandemic. Rendell and Jacobs said it’s fairly common for radiologists to read them at home — but it’s also expensive. Jacobs said a proper setup requires four screens, which cost upwards of $40,000. Jacobs said three-megapixel screens are much cheaper. Rendell believes this is a big factor in the current predicament. “I think what these people were had triplets in their house and decided they wanted to read mom on them anyway,” he said. “It’s an established theory. I’ve worked in radiology for a long time.” Whatever the case, Rendell believes more discrepancies will be found, even if they are simply due to human error. “I still think you have to have the best equipment because you’re going to have human error anyway, even with the best equipment. So if you start with inferior equipment, your human error is going to be higher. And it’s not fair to O patient is the person at the bottom of it’. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
title: “3 Radiologists Warn Central Health About Concerns About Mammography Accreditation In 2019 Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-28” author: “Calvin Walter”
Dr Jane Rendell, who worked at Gander for six years until being sidelined in September 2019 due to ongoing disputes, was one of three radiologists who wrote to the Department of Health and Community Services on 10 October 2019. They warned that the breast screening program at Central Newfoundland Regional Hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor was not accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) and therefore did not undergo the rigorous audits that other facilities had to pass. They also outlined 15 other concerns with Central Health’s radiology department, including the number of out-of-province radiologists being hired for as little as a week at a time to fill gaps. “They just ignored us,” Rendell said of the regional health authority and provincial health department. “Basically, I think we were considered troublemakers because we had problems and we would raise them. They didn’t like the doctors doing that. They wanted us to shut up and do what we had to do.” In the past two weeks, Central Health has discovered that about 3,000 mammograms were read on substandard monitors and must be reviewed. Central Health says all images were taken in Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander. After that discovery, the province’s three other health authorities reviewed their own processes and found that about 14,000 mammograms from other regions needed to be reviewed because they were being read on three-megapixel screens instead of five-megapixel screens. None of the health authorities explained how this happened or where any of the mammograms were actually analyzed after they were taken. Rendell isn’t sure if it has anything to do with the problems described in the letter she co-signed with Dr Shelley Dalton and Dr Paula Kennedy, but assumes there is some overlap. Central Newfoundland Regional Health Center in Grand Falls-Windsor does not have an accredited mammography program. (PracticeNL.ca) Central Health did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication. Health Secretary Tom Osborne, who takes over the portfolio in July 2022, said he was not aware of the letter. “This is new information to me today,” he told CBC News on Thursday. “I can certainly speak to the CEO of Central Health about this. My understanding from Central Health was that this incident was reported to the CEO very recently.”
How does accreditation work?
Eight facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador have accredited programs. These mammography units are inspected annually to ensure that all aspects meet the standards set by CAR, which administers the accreditation scheme. But the process is a bit more complicated than that. If a facility is listed as accredited on the CAR website, it does not necessarily mean that all units and radiologists in the building are accredited. This became an issue in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005, when the Canadian association called on the province to make accreditation mandatory for all mammography units and asked women to avoid places that were not fully accredited. Rendell says the breast screening program in Gander – in which women who have never had cancer get regular annual exams – is CAR accredited and strictly monitored. But he said diagnostic mammography, which screens women who have a history of cancer or are believed to have cancer, is not accredited and therefore units and staff are not inspected by the Canadian association. In their 2019 letter, Rendell, Dalton and Kennedy called for all programs to be regulated the same way. “The only way to ensure that the standard of care in mammography is provided to all Central Health women is through regular audits and peer review of the breast screening program,” they wrote.
“They’re role models for a reason”
There has been some discussion about the importance of broad review of mammograms. Dr Angela Pickles, head of medical imaging at Eastern Health, said there was little difference between a three-megapixel screen and a five-megapixel screen. He said the two are “so close that the human eye struggles to differentiate any minor incidents at this level.” Neither health authority said where the mammograms now being reviewed were first analyzed. There is speculation from people like Dr. Jane Rendell that some were read at home. (Torin Halsey/The Associated Press) Dr. David Jacobs, head of the Ontario Association of Radiologists, said the 5-megapixel screen is the best technology available, but it may not make that much of a difference in most cases. While a small blemish may be crystal clear on a five-megapixel screen, it will still be visible on a three-megapixel screen. Rendell, however, said the small difference can have a huge impact. “When you do a mammogram, you’re looking for one thing. It’s like Where’s Waldo. You’re only looking for breast cancer. That’s the only serious disease you’re going to see in the breast. If you miss it, it’s a big deal,” she said. “If you’re missing microcalcifications and stuff because your screen isn’t good enough, I’m sorry, but that’s just not up to the right standard, and they’re standards for a reason.”
Testing at home?
Central Health’s refusal to say where the images were analyzed has led to questions about mammograms being read at home, especially during the pandemic. Rendell and Jacobs said it’s fairly common for radiologists to read them at home — but it’s also expensive. Jacobs said a proper setup requires four screens, which cost upwards of $40,000. Jacobs said three-megapixel screens are much cheaper. Rendell believes this is a big factor in the current predicament. “I think what these people were had triplets in their house and decided they wanted to read mom on them anyway,” he said. “It’s an established theory. I’ve worked in radiology for a long time.” Whatever the case, Rendell believes more discrepancies will be found, even if they are simply due to human error. “I still think you have to have the best equipment because you’re going to have human error anyway, even with the best equipment. So if you start with inferior equipment, your human error is going to be higher. And it’s not fair to O patient is the person at the bottom of it’. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
