ColoRectal Cancer Screening for Southern California Community Health Centers

University of California, San Diego55,999 enrolled

Overview

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening can reduce cancer deaths. However, screening and abnormal test follow-up rates are low among underserved populations. The screening rates of 19-58%, and rates of colonoscopy completion after abnormal stool tests of 18-57% in community health centers (CHC) systems are low. This highlights an opportunity to improve early detection and decrease burden of CRC in our region. Mailed outreach and navigation programs have been shown to increase colonoscopy completion rate. The next step is to understand how to best implement these programs in the community on a larger scale. To achieve this goal, the investigators propose a Hub-and-Spoke intervention combining centralized strategies to maximize CRC screening, follow-up, and referral-to-care. The investigators hypothesize that this intervention will be superior to usual care for increasing CRC screening, abnormal test follow-up, and referral-to-care. The investigators will conduct a randomized trial to determine effectiveness in: 1) improvement in proportion of individuals up-to-date with screening 3 years post implementation; 2) proportion with abnormal FIT who complete diagnostic colonoscopy within 6 months; and 3) proportion with CRC completing first treatment evaluation. The investigators will also evaluate the implementation, scalability, and sustainability of the multi-level implementation strategy. The intervention consists of: Mailed FIT and Reminders. Eligible individuals will receive an introductory letter describing the importance of CRC screening and noting that follow-up mail will include a FIT Kit. It will also be offered to patients who completed prior mailed FIT with normal test results. All materials will be in English and Spanish. Two weeks later, participants will receive a packet via mail containing the FIT kit, a one-page invitation inviting FIT completion and FIT instructions, a postage-paid envelope for return to the patient's CHC, and COVID-19 message. For non-compliant individuals not returning the kit, a reminder phone call and text message will be delivered 2 weeks later. The investigators will track returned letters, individuals who are later found to be up-to date with screening, and those who decline screening. The CHC will provide care coordination for patients with an abnormal FIT result.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

Interventions

Mailed FIT OutreachOTHER

We will mail an introductory letter to eligible individuals describing the importance of CRC screening and noting that follow-up mail will include a FIT Kit. Two weeks later they will receive a packet via mail containing the FIT kit, a one-page invitation inviting FIT completion and FIT instructions, COVID-19 messaging, and a postage-paid envelope for return.

Standardized navigationOTHER

The standardized navigation includes, but is not limited to, the following key components: 1. Identification of individuals with abnormal FIT 2. Results review and colonoscopy order by provider 3. Results reporting to patient 4. Insurance approval for colonoscopy 5. Colonoscopy scheduling 6. Bowel preparation \& colonoscopy completion 7. Colonoscopy results provided to patient and CHC 8. Referral-to-Care for patients with CRC (if necessary)

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 50 YearsMax age: 75 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Mailed FIT Inclusion Criteria: * Patient had an office visit within the last 12 months at one or more of your health centers. (Use Uniform Data System \[UDS\] criteria for an office visit.) * Not up to date with colorectal cancer screening according to the standard UDS query * Male or Female * 50 - 75 years old * Current VALID address in San Diego or Riverside Counties (addresses with a PO box or General Delivery are acceptable) * Valid Phone Number * Insured patients only (e.g., Medicare, Medi-Cal, or private insurance) Exclusion Criteria: * Absence of a phone number listed in the Electronic Health Record/Electronic Medical Record (EMR) * Absence of a valid mailing address (e.g. blank field) * Uninsured * Patients with a diagnosis or past history of total colectomy or colorectal cancer per UDS criteria. * Duplicate patients within a health center organization. (If a patient was seen at multiple locations within the past year, only include the patient in the sample for the site where the patient was seen last) Care Coordination for Abnormal FIT results, add the following to the inclusion criteria: * Completion of a FIT for Colorectal Cancer Screening during the designated time period * Abnormal FIT result received and documented in EMR during the designated time period

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Screening up-to-date (primary)

Proportion of age-eligible patients with clinic visit in measurement year up-to-date with screening (FIT or FOBT in prior 12 months, sigmoidoscopy in last 5 years, colonoscopy in last 10 years).

Time frame: Three years

Colonoscopy after abnormal FIT (primary)

Proportion of patients with abnormal FIT who complete colonoscopy within 6 months

Time frame: Six months

Secondary Outcomes

FIT Completion

Proportion of patients who have FIT ordered as part of usual care or interventions who complete FIT within 12 months

Time frame: Twelve months

Time to colonoscopy after abnormal FIT

Median time to colonoscopy completion after abnormal FIT

Time frame: From date of abnormal FIT results until the date of colonoscopy completion, assessed up to 3 years

Follow-up process

Proportion of patients with abnormal FIT with a) colonoscopy ordered; b) insurance approval completed; c) precolonoscopy visit scheduled; d) precolonoscopy visit completed; e) adequate bowel preparation at time of colonoscopy; f) treatment evaluation referral initiated and first visit completed if CRC found.

Time frame: From date of abnormal FIT results until the date of follow-up process is completed if a CRC is found, assessed up to 3 years