Budget impact analysis of switching to digital mammography in a population-based breast cancer screening program: a discrete event simulation model.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the budgetary impact of switching from screen-film mammography to full-field digital mammography in a population-based breast cancer screening program.

Methods

A discrete-event simulation model was built to reproduce the breast cancer screening process (biennial mammographic screening of women aged 50 to 69 years) combined with the natural history of breast cancer. The simulation started with 100,000 women and, during a 20-year simulation horizon, new women were dynamically entered according to the aging of the Spanish population. Data on screening were obtained from Spanish breast cancer screening programs. Data on the natural history of breast cancer were based on US data adapted to our population. A budget impact analysis comparing digital with screen-

SUBMITTER: Comas M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4022526 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature