Facilitating Colon-Rectal Cancer Screening Among Emergency Department Patients and Visitors
Authors: Trowbridge R, King R, Byun R, Dabakis M, Talati A, Turocy J, Illuzzi F, Bradley K Ann Emerg Med 2010 56:S104-105
Objectives: To determine the ability of Research Associates (RAs), volunteer pre-health professional students, to facilitate colon-rectal cancer screenings among patients and visitors in the emergency department.
Methods: Design: prospective, interventional Setting: community teaching hospital ED Type of participants: convenience sample, non-acute patients and visitors ≥ 50 years old. Protocol: Using a scripted format, RAs enrolled as many potential subjects as possible during their weekly four-hour shift in the ED. After obtaining an informed consent, the RAs assessed the subjects’ compliance with American Cancer Society-recommended scheduled visits to primary care practitioners (PCP) and the colon-rectal cancer (CRC) screenings, colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS). If requested by the subject, the completed data forms were sent to the designated physician. For those subjects who were not up-to-date with ACS recommendations, follow-up contact was made to determine if the compliance had been achieved.
Results: Over the twenty (20) weeks, seventy-one (71) RAs identified 2051 eligible subjects of whom 1280 (62%) agreed to be in the study. For PCP visit, 1180 (92%) could identify a PCP, 1048 (82%) had seen their PCP within the preceding 12 months and 225 (18%) needed a PCP referral. For CRC screening, 847 (66%) indicated having some form of testing, 778 (61%) colonoscopy and 56 (4%) FS. Of those with previous screening, 62 (7%) were overdue. Thus 83 (6%) needed PCP referral and 340 (27%) needed referral for CRC screening. Telephone follow-up was made with 295 (60%) with 32 (39%) saying they had a PCP visit done or scheduled and 36 (11%) saying they had CRC screening either done or scheduled.
Conclusion: RAs identified a large number of non-acute ED patients and visitors needing referral for a PCP visit and/or CRC screening with a considerable percentage indicating they had or were in the process of having that screening accomplished.
