If a 51-year-old female patient states she hasn't had a mammogram in 3 years before discharge, what should you do?

When a 51-year-old female patient indicates that she has not had a mammogram in 3 years, the best action is to refer her to her primary care provider (PCP) for outpatient follow-up after discharge. This ensures that she will receive the necessary care and proper evaluation of her health needs. The PCP will be able to assess her risk factors, discuss the importance of regular mammograms, and potentially schedule the mammogram in a manner that is appropriate for her individual health status.

While scheduling a mammogram before discharge could seem beneficial, it may not always be feasible or the standard practice in acute care settings, especially if the patient requires follow-up care that extends beyond the immediate discharge process. It’s crucial to establish continuity of care, which the referral to the PCP provides, ensuring that the patient receives the long-term follow-up she needs.

Advising her to wait for a year would not be appropriate, as regular mammograms are recommended every one to two years starting at age 50, and she is already due. Notifying her insurance company is unnecessary at this stage and does not address the immediate health concern of her needing a mammogram. Thus, the referral to the PCP effectively prioritizes and addresses the patient's health needs following