New online booking option improves access and convenience for eligible patients
LONDON, ON – St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Breast Care Program has launched a new self-scheduling portal, allowing eligible patients to book their own Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) mammogram appointments online.
The change comes in response to updated OBSP guidelines, which lowered the minimum screening age to 40 and broadened eligibility. This expansion is expected to increase the eligible screening population to approximately 50,000 individuals in London and Middlesex County alone, creating significant pressure on current scheduling systems.
“Self-booking empowers patients to take control of their appointments while helping us manage increased volumes more efficiently,” says Heather Medaglia, clinical manager in the Breast Care Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital. “The new portal reduces phone-based bookings, frees up clerical staff and makes it easier for eligible patients to access timely breast screening.”
Through the online portal, patients can confirm eligibility, select from available appointments and book in less than 10 minutes. The tool also provides appointment confirmations, automated reminders and options to reschedule or cancel online.
“Patients are already telling us how much they value the convenience of booking at a time that works best for them,” adds Medaglia. “During a soft launch over the past four months, more than 1,000 patients successfully booked appointments online, with very positive feedback.”
To help patients access breast screening sooner and closer to home, the self-booking system also provides a direct link to Ontario Health’s wait times website; allowing patients to compare wait times and screening locations.
“Looking ahead, our hope is that self-booking will be adopted by other OBSP sites across our region,” adds Medaglia. Which, she explains, would allow patients to search for appointments at multiple sites, offering greater flexibility and helping to reduce wait times.
“The convenience of online booking for eligible patients will help improve timely access to OBSP breast screening, leading to earlier detection and better health outcomes for our community.”
Who qualifies for OBSP self-booking?
Individuals aged 40 to 74 with no breast cancer symptoms, no personal history of breast cancer, no mastectomy and no screening mammogram in the past 11 months are eligible to self-book. Those who do not meet these criteria can still access screening through a referral from their family doctor, with appointments scheduled by St. Joseph’s clerical team.
The self-scheduling portal is now live and can be accessed through St. Joseph’s Breast Care Program webpage: Self-Book Breast Screening at St. Joseph's Hospital (OBSP) | St. Joseph's Health Care London
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For more information:
Renee Sweeney, Communication Consultant
St. Joseph’s Health Care London
519 646-6100 ext. 47788
renee.sweeney@sjhc.london.on.ca
About St. Joseph’s Health Care London
Renowned for compassionate care, St. Joseph’s Health Care London is a leading academic health care centre in Canada dedicated to helping people live to their fullest by minimizing the effects of injury, disease and disability through excellence in care, teaching and research. Through partnership with Lawson Research Institute and our collaborative engagement with other health care and academic partners, St. Joseph’s has become an international leader in the areas of: chronic disease management; medical imaging; specialized mental health care; rehabilitation and specialized geriatrics; and surgery. St. Joseph’s operates through a wide range of hospital, clinic and long-term and community-based settings, including St. Joseph’s Hospital; Parkwood Institute; Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care; and Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care. For more information, visit www.sjhc.london.on.ca