PI: Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Goal: By December 2018, 50% of eligible medical clients will have an up-to-date colorectal cancer screening (2017 rate = 42%)
Outcome: We reached our goal of screening 50% of our eligible clients. Overall we improved by 12% from the 2017 and 34% since 2016!
Why are we interested in colorectal cancer screenings? Cancer is scary—and like homelessness, it doesn’t discriminate. We know that preventative medicine is the best medicine, so we’re doing all we can to get as many clients as possible screened for colorectal cancer.
What did we do to reach this goal? Providers are educated clients about early detection, along with the nitty-gritty on the two available types of colorectal cancer screenings—the fecal immunochemical test (FIT), a non-invasive test for clients who are not at high-risk for being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and the colonoscopy.
- Medical assistants called clients with upcoming appointments to encourage them to get screened on their next visit to one of our clinics
- A standing order was created for CMAs to administer a FIT to any clients in need of a colorectal cancer screenings
- The medical team at Fallsway created a Preventive Health Tracker to help identify in real-time whether a client is due for a colorectal cancer screening
What's up next?
- We are exploring use of a screening assessment that will assist in identifying and addressing a client’s barriers to completing a colonoscopy
- For some of our clients the barrier is being able to get to their initial GI consult, or knowing what they need to do to prepare for their procedure. Our Community Health Worker team is helping to address these barriers by assisting our clients in making it to their appointments, and answering their questions along the way.
- FIT tests are only good for a year, and many of the individuals we were successful in getting screened in 2017 are now due for new tests. We are exploring ways to encourage these individuals to instead get colonoscopies, which are good for 10 years