MONDAY, March 28, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- Patients are more likely to be screened for colorectal cancer if primary-care doctors use an "office systems approach," says a Harvard Medical School study in the March 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
An office systems approach includes five actions by primary-care doctors: educating patients; identifying patients due for screening; enabling patient compliance; monitoring patient compliance; and notifying patients of their test results.
In this study, staffers from the American Cancer Society visited 127 primary-care doctors and pointed out ways the doctors could improve colorectal cancer screening among their patients. The doctors were given resources, tools, and support to make the changes.
The study found a significant increase in the number of patients who were aware of the latest screening recommendations and tests.
The doctors' use of posters and brochures about colorectal cancer screening increased from 20.5 percent to 69.3 percent. Direct discussion of screening was the most common method (96.1 percent) used by doctors to educate their patients.
Doctors' monitoring of fecal blood tests increased from 20.6 percent to 37.3 percent.
"We believe that the clinicians would not have implemented changes as effectively without the facilitators' providing attention, support, and technical assistance," the study authors wrote. "Overall, our results suggest that use of an office systems approach toward improving CRC screening behavior in real-world primary care practices is feasible and effective enough to warrant considering wider dissemination."
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about colorectal cancer screening.
