Quality assurance

The quality standards laid down for the German mammography screening programme are contained in Section B No. III of the Early Detection of Breast Cancer Guideline (KFE-RL) and in Annex 9.2 of the Federal Framework Agreement for Physicians (BMV-Ä). The standards are based on the stipulations laid down in the European Guidelines on Quality Assurance in Breast Cancer Screening and, in the sense of a learning system, they support continuous quality control and optimisation.

This quality management concept comprises all levels of quality assurance:

• Quality of structures: requirements regarding the rooms and the equipment used at mammography and assessment units, technical quality assurance qualification of the staff involved in the programme
• Quality of processes: interdisciplinary collaboration in performing work, as well as internal quality assurance
• Quality of results: presentation of quality and programme evaluation, using standardised indicators, as evidence of the effectiveness of the programme

Physicians and radiology specialists must provide evidence of their professional qualification before starting their work in screening. They must also take part in regular training to maintain and further develop their professional competence.