Conversations That Matter: Cancer screening underfunded

Episode 615: Breast Cancer Screening Underfunded Guest: Dr. Paula Gordon By Stuart McNish A shortage of funding is affecting breast-cancer screening in B.C., says Dr. Paula Gordon, a radiologist and medical researcher specializing in breast cancer. Gordon, a clinical professor in the department of radiology at UBC, says there is a lack of radiology services in B.C. and a funding model that discourages radiologists from performing breast cancer screening. "The situation is only going to get worse. "We're finding loads of cancers at our clinic, doing ultrasound for women with dense breasts. But the fee they told us to use is not a screening fee, and it doesn't cover the true overhead." She said that means some clinics won't offer the service. “Women are going to private clinics," says Gordon. “They’re paying upwards of $750 for an ultrasound screening that the public system pays $115 to perform." Gordon joined a Conversation That Matters about the quality of breast health care in B.C. See the video at vancouversun.com/tag/conversations-that-matter. Learn More about our guest's career at careersthatmatter.ca Join us Sept. 22 for Conversations Live, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.