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Patient and physician reminders to promote colorectal cancer screening: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: Screening reduces colorectal cancer mortality, but effective screening tests remain underused. Systematic reminders to patients and physicians could increase screening ratesWe conducted a randomized controlled trial of patient and physician reminders in 11 ambulatory health care centers. Participants included 21 860 patients aged 50 to 80 years who were overdue for colorectal cancer screening and 110 primary care physicians. Patients were randomly assigned to receive mailings containing an educational pamphlet, fecal occult blood test kit, and instructions for direct scheduling of flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Physicians were randomly assigned to receive electronic reminders during office visits with patients overdue for screening. The primary outcome was receipt of fecal occult blood testing, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy over 15 months, and the secondary outcome was detection of colorectal adenomas.Screening rates were higher for patients who received mailings compared with those who did not (44.0% vs 38.1%; P < .001). The effect increased with age: +3.7% for ages 50 to 59 years; +7.3% for ages 60 to 69 years; and +10.1% for ages 70 to 80 years (P = .01 for trend). Screening rates were similar among patients of physicians receiving electronic reminders and the control group (41.9% vs 40.2%; P = .47). However, electronic reminders tended to increase screening rates among patients with 3 or more primary care visits (59.5% vs 52.7%; P = .07). Detection of adenomas tended to increase with patient mailings (5.7% vs 5.2%; P = .10) and physician reminders (6.0% vs 4.9%; P = .09).Mailed reminders to patients are an effective tool to promote colorectal cancer screening, and electronic reminders to physicians may increase screening among adults who have more frequent primary care visits.

SUBMITTER: Sequist TD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2683730 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Patient and physician reminders to promote colorectal cancer screening: a randomized controlled trial.

Sequist Thomas D TD Zaslavsky Alan M AM Marshall Richard R Fletcher Robert H RH Ayanian John Z JZ

Archives of internal medicine 20090201 4

<h4>Background</h4>Screening reduces colorectal cancer mortality, but effective screening tests remain underused. Systematic reminders to patients and physicians could increase screening rates<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a randomized controlled trial of patient and physician reminders in 11 ambulatory health care centers. Participants included 21 860 patients aged 50 to 80 years who were overdue for colorectal cancer screening and 110 primary care physicians. Patients were randomly assigned to r ...[more]

PMID: 19237720

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Project description:Despite the documented benefits of colorectal cancer screening, patient participation rates remain low. Physician recommendation has been identified as a significant predictor of screening completion.The aim of this study is to investigate how primary care physicians perceive colorectal cancer screening communication tasks, as well as to explore the form and content of actual screening discussions.The research design includes a mailed physician survey and a separate observational study in a sample of videotaped medical encounters. PARTICIPANTS AND DATA SOURCES: The participants were 270 primary care physicians who completed a mailed questionnaire (57.9% response rate) and 18 physician-patient encounters that included discussions of colorectal cancer screening.The questionnaire focused on perceived importance and accomplishment of communication tasks relevant to colorectal cancer screening. Two of the authors reviewed transcripts of videotaped physician encounters to determine whether the same communication tasks assessed in the survey were accomplished. Interrater reliability was high across all of the mutually exclusive coding categories (Kappa > .90).Physicians rated colonoscopy as the most important screening option to discuss; self-reports indicate that colonoscopy (84.8%) is more frequently mentioned than fecal occult blood test (FOBT; 49.4%), flexible sigmoidoscopy (34.1%), or computed tomography (CT) imaging (18.1%). Explaining benefits and risks, describing test procedure and frequency, eliciting patient preferences, and making a plan for screening were all viewed as very important. Self-reported accomplishment of these communication tasks was considerably higher than that observed in our separate videotape sample.Most physicians recognize and espouse the importance of recommending colorectal cancer screening to eligible patients. However, findings from both the physician survey and observational study suggest that physicians tend to overestimate the extent of discussions about screening. Interventions may be warranted to improve clinical practice.

Project description:BackgroundMobile phone-based SMS text message reminders have the potential to improve colorectal cancer screening participation rates.ObjectiveThis study assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of adding targeted SMS text message reminders to the standard procedure for those who picked up but did not return their screening kit at the pharmacy within 14 days in a colorectal cancer screening program in Catalonia, Spain.MethodsWe performed a randomized control trial among individuals who picked up a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit for colorectal cancer screening at the pharmacy but did not return it within 14 days. The intervention group (n=4563) received an SMS text message reminder on the 14th day of kit pick up and the control group (n=4806) received no reminder. A 30-day reminder letter was sent to both groups if necessary. The main primary outcome was the FIT completion rate within 30, 60, and 126 days from FIT kit pick up (intention-to-treat analysis). A telephone survey assessed the acceptability and appropriateness of the intervention. The cost-effectiveness of adding an SMS text message reminder to FIT completion was also performed.ResultsThe intervention group had higher FIT completion rates than the control group at 30 (64.2% vs 53.7%; P<.001), 60 (78.6% vs 72.0%; P<.001), and 126 (82.6% vs 77.7%; P<.001) days. Participation rates were higher in the intervention arm independent of sex, age, socioeconomic level, and previous screening behavior. A total of 339 (89.2%) interviewees considered it important and useful to receive SMS text message reminders for FIT completion and 355 (93.4%) preferred SMS text messages to postal letters. We observed a reduction of US $2.4 per participant gained in the intervention arm for invitation costs compared to the control arm.ConclusionsAdding an SMS text message reminder to the standard procedure significantly increased FIT kit return rates and was a cost-effective strategy. SMS text messages also proved to be an acceptable and appropriate communication channel for cancer screening programs.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04343950; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04343950.International registered report identifier (irrid)RR2-10.1371/journal.pone.0245806.

Project description:ImportanceIncreasing participation in fecal screening tests is a major challenge in countries that have implemented colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs.ObjectiveTo determine whether providing general practitioners (GPs) a list of patients who are nonadherent to CRC screening enhances patient participation in fecal immunochemical testing (FIT).Design, setting, and participantsA 3-group, cluster-randomized study was conducted from July 14, 2015, to July 14, 2016, on the west coast of France, with GPs in 801 practices participating and involving adult patients (50-74 years) who were at average risk of CRC and not up-to-date with CRC screening. The final follow-up date was July 14, 2016.InterventionsGeneral practitioners were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: 496 received a list of patients who had not undergone CRC screening (patient-specific reminders group, 10 476 patients), 495 received a letter describing region-specific CRC screening adherence rates (generic reminders group, 10 606 patients), and 455 did not receive any reminders (usual care group, 10 147 patients).Main outcomes and measuresThe primary end point was patient participation in CRC screening 1 year after the intervention.ResultsAmong 1482 randomized GPs (mean age, 53.4 years; 576 women [38.9%]), 1446 participated; of the 33 044 patients of these GPs (mean age, 59.7 years; 17 949 women [54.3%]), follow-up at 1 year was available for 31 229 (94.5%). At 1 year, 24.8% (95% CI, 23.4%-26.2%) of patients in the specific reminders group, 21.7% (95% CI, 20.5%-22.8%) in the generic reminders group, and 20.6% (95% CI, 19.3%-21.8%) in the usual care group participated in the FIT screening. The between-group differences were 3.1% (95% CI, 1.3%-5.0%) for the patient-specific reminders group vs the generic reminders group, 4.2% (95% CI, 2.3%-6.2%) for the patient-specific reminders group vs the usual care group, and 1.1% (95% CI, -0.6% to 2.8%) for generic reminders group vs the usual care group.Conclusions and relevanceProviding French GPs caring for adults at average risk of CRC with a list of their patients who were not up-to-date with their CRC screening resulted in a small but significant increase in patient participation in FIT screening at 1 year compared with patients who received usual care. Providing GPs with generic reminders about regional rates of CRC screening did not increase screening rates compared with usual care.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02515344.

Project description:BackgroundProvider recommendation is a predictor of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.PurposeTo compare the effects of two clinic-based interventions on patient-provider discussions about CRC screening.DesignTwo-group RCT with data collected at baseline and 1 week post-intervention.Setting/participantsAfrican-American patients that were non-adherent to CRC screening recommendations (n=693) with a primary care visit between 2008 and 2010 in one of 11 urban primary care clinics.InterventionParticipants received either a computer-delivered tailored CRC screening intervention or a nontailored informational brochure about CRC screening immediately prior to their primary care visit.Main outcome measuresBetween-group differences in odds of having had a CRC screening discussion about a colon test, with and without adjusting for demographic, clinic, health literacy, health belief, and social support variables, were examined as predictors of a CRC screening discussion using logistic regression. Intervention effects on CRC screening test order by PCPs were examined using logistic regression. Analyses were conducted in 2011 and 2012.ResultsCompared to the brochure group, greater proportions of those in the computer-delivered tailored intervention group reported having had a discussion with their provider about CRC screening (63% vs 48%, OR=1.81, p<0.001). Predictors of a discussion about CRC screening included computer group participation, younger age, reason for visit, being unmarried, colonoscopy self-efficacy, and family member/friend recommendation (all p-values <0.05).ConclusionsThe computer-delivered tailored intervention was more effective than a nontailored brochure at stimulating patient-provider discussions about CRC screening. Those who received the computer-delivered intervention also were more likely to have a CRC screening test (fecal occult blood test or colonoscopy) ordered by their PCP.Trial registrationThis study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00672828.

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Patient and physician reminders to promote colorectal cancer screening: a randomized controlled trial.

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Patient and physician reminders to promote colorectal cancer screening: a randomized controlled trial.

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