Cervical Cancer Screening and Follow-up

The health department has a longstanding history within the community for providing Pap screening and family planning, completing over 7,000 screenings per year. In 1996, the health department found an increase in the number of abnormal screening results that required further diagnostic services such as colposcopy, biopsy and/or LEEP. Unfortunately, the health department provided only limited colposcopy service by OB/GYN on staff, and only at the South Brevard location. This did not meet the increased need throughout the county. In 1999, the director of the health department developed an agreement with Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, FL whereby their OB residents would perform colposcopy and cryosurgery services for the department's clients. This arrangement expanded the number of clients who could be seen.

The goal of this program is to provide timely, effective, clinically appropriate intervention for abnormal Pap tests at no or very-low cost in order to reduce cervical cancer mortality.

Contracting with a new lab for Paps, which resulted in 10 percent of screenings returning as abnormal (closer to the national standard). An average of 500 colposcopies per year, with approximately 50 high-grade lesions/carcinoma in-situ per year that require treatment.