Our facility’s mammography reports are accessible to our health care providers on computer. Because of this, we do not print out reports to send to the providers. Will providing the mammography reports through the use of computers (e.g., E-mail) be acceptable under the final regulations?

Computer reports are acceptable under the final regulations. However, facilities should be aware that the regulations require that mammography reports be provided to referring health care providers and to self-referred patients and also must be transferred, on the request of the patient or on her behalf, to other medical institutions or health care providers or to the patient herself. The facility may develop appropriate procedures for providing these reports. Facilities may use different means of communication for dealing with the specific situations described above. Where electronic means (e.g., E-mail) will successfully provide the reports to their required recipients, they may be used. However, where electronic means can't achieve this goal, hard copy (paper) reports must be provided.