Photo caption: Staff members from St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Breast Care Program. (From left to right) Heather Medaglia, Danielle Lebel, Lindsey Balogh and Paige Tellier.
With recent changes to OBSP guidelines lowering the minimum screening age to 40 and broadening eligibility, thousands more people in London and Middlesex are now encouraged to undergo routine breast screening. This important change is expected to increase the number of patients eligible for a mammogram by about 50,000 locally.
To meet this surge in demand and ensure patients have timely access to care, St. Joseph's Breast Care Program has introduced a digital self-scheduling portal — a convenient new way for patients to book their own screening appointments online.
“This new tool gives patients the flexibility to book at a time that works for them, while helping us manage higher volumes more efficiently," says Heather Medaglia, clinical manager of the Breast Care Program at St. Joseph's. “It reduces phone bookings, streamlines workflows and ultimately helps us focus on delivering care."
Through the online portal, patients can:
- Confirm their eligibility with a few short questions
- Search for available appointments by date, time and location
- Book in less than 10 minutes
- Receive immediate confirmation and automated appointment reminders
- Reschedule or cancel an appointment if needed
The self-scheduling portal also provides a direct link to Ontario Health's wait times website, to help patients access breast screening closer to home, where applicable, allowing patients to compare wait times and screening locations; providing more options and improved access to timely care.
“During a soft launch, more than 1,300 patients booked their own appointments online," says Medaglia. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive — patients value the convenience and flexibility."
Supporting Earlier Detection and Better Care
In the past, appointment scheduling for St. Joseph's Breast Care Program relied heavily on phone-based processes. This created administrative strain, longer wait times and fewer options for patients. The new portal not only addresses these challenges; it also gives patients more choice and control over their appointments and overall screening experience.
“This is about more than technology," adds Medaglia. “It's about breaking down barriers to access, improving timely screening and supporting earlier detection of breast cancer, which can make all the difference in outcomes."
The project was made possible through financial support from the South West Regional Cancer Program, which is also encouraging other breast screening sites across the region to adopt self-scheduling technology.
How to Self-Book
Eligible individuals — those aged 40 to 74 with no breast symptoms, no personal history of breast cancer, no mastectomy and no mammogram in the last 11 months — can now book their own appointments through the Breast Care Program's webpage.
For those who do not meet OBSP's self-scheduling criteria, screening remains available through a referral from a physician or nurse practitioner.
Visit the Breast Care Program webpage to learn more, check eligibility and book your appointment online.