Standard of Care
Standard of care is a guideline for doctors to follow in the diagnosis and treatment of an ailment. Because medicine is part "art" and every case is different, standard of care is always suggested but not required.
Failure to follow standard of care for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of breast lumps results in too many unnecessary deaths, drives a wedge between doctors and patients, gives rise to lawsuits and increases the cost of health care for everyone.
Maureen's Mission is promoting a Universal Standard of Care, developed in cooperation with a group of experts in the fields of oncology and breast cancer. Our goal is to have every doctor in the United States follow this standard, thereby promoting early diagnosis of breast cancer and potentially saving thousands of women's lives.
Our proposed Universal Standard of Care for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of breast lumps states:
- Standard of Care will be the same throughout the United States.
- All lumps will be treated as cancerous until proven otherwise.
- If a lump is found, either by self or clinical exam, the patient will receive a pamphlet outlining the Standard of Care and the steps followed to provide an early diagnosis.
- A mammogram, ultrasound or both will be performed immediately.
- After consultation with their doctor, a biopsy will be discussed and the patient will be given a choice whether to have one or not.
- If, after one consultation with the doctor, the patient decided to wait for a biopsy, only one menstrual cycle will be allowed to pass before the patient returns for a re-evaluation of the breast lump.
- If the breast lump persists, a biopsy will be performed immediately.
- In all cases, early diagnosis will be sought to ensure patient safety.
