SECTION II

The words shall and should are used differentially in this document and have been chosen with purpose. The word shall indicates a recommendation that is essential to meet the currently accepted standards; should indicates an advisory recommendation that is highly desirable and is to be implemented where applicable/feasible.

The term Health Center in this document refers to facilities operated by Region Hospital Corporations.

The provincial standards provide those concerned about breast cancer with a reasonable consensus on the conditions required to achieve quality breast screening with the lowest possible risk for the ultimate benefit of New Brunswick women.

1. ELIGIBILITY

1. The target population for breast screening services shall include asymptomatic women between the ages of 50-69 who are residents of N.B.
2. Asymptomatic women outside the 50-69 year age group (i.e., women under 50 and over 69 years of age) shall be accepted for mammography screening services only upon referral by a physician. If these women attempt to self-refer they should be advised that routine breast screening of women their age is controversial^3-8 and to discuss the merits of breast screening for themselves with their family physician.

Appendix A - Table of Contents