INCREASING COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING REFERRALS IN A PRIMARY CARE CLINIC

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. When diagnosed early, CRC has a 90% 5-year survival rate. Despite the increasing availability of CRC screening, only an estimated 62% of adults aged 50-75 years are up to date on testing and only 40% of those with the disease are detected at a treatable stage. Focusing screening efforts of primary care providers is critical in early detection and treatment of CRC. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase provider referrals of CRC screening to patients aged 50-75 years old by implementing a provider reminder system by utilization of a questionnaire. Over a twelve-week period, a total of 62 (25%) patients received a questionnaire and 17 (27%) were referred for screening. Although staff compliance in distributing questionnaires was only 25%, provider compliance for recommending screening for those who received the questionnaire was 100%. The overall goal of this project was to increase the number of patients being screened for CRC, thus improving patient care and reducing mortality. Reminding providers to routinely refer their patients for CRC screening is an effective way to improve screening rates in primary care settings.