Objective: To determine whether family physicians would participate in the Family Physician Model (FPM) recruitment strategy for mammography screening, whether participating physicians differed from non-participating physicians, and whether the strategy would recruit 70% of eligible women in the participating practices.
Design: Family physicians were invited to participate in the project. Staff from the Ontario Breast Screening Program-Hamilton Centre (OBSP-H) identified eligible women, prepared personalized letters recommending screening, and monitored compliance. Participating and non-participating physicians were asked to complete a questionnaire.
Setting: Family practices in Dundas, Ancaster, and Hamilton, Ont.
Participants: Women aged 50 years and older who met eligibility criteria for screening. Family physicians in Dundas, Ancaster, and Hamilton.
Intervention: Family physicians were approached by the Health Promotion Officer at the OBSP-H about participating in the FPM. Eligible women in their practices were sent letters recommending breast screening.
Main outcome measures: Percentage of family physicians agreeing to participate in the FPM, characteristics of participating and non-participating physicians, and percentage of eligible women who scheduled mammograms.
Results: Of the 114 family physicians approached, 76 (67%) agreed to participate. Significantly more participating than non-participating physicians were in group practice and had certification in family medicine. In response to the letters, 54% of eligible women obtained mammograms. Because 12% of women were ineligible since they had been referred for screening within the previous 12 months, 66% of women in the participating practices actually obtained mammograms over the 2-year period-almost the target 70%.
Conclusion: The FPM is a successful recruitment strategy.