Study: Automated reminders can raise colon cancer screening rates

Lately, the pressure has greatly increased for primary care physicians to follow preventive care guidelines. But to date, the industry hasn't evolved a standardized way of keeping doctors and patients on their toes where such screenings are concerned. However, a new study suggests that relatively simple computerized reminders hold some promise as a way of improving compliance with screening guidelines (and along the way, helping doctors get their pay-for-performance bonuses).

A new study published in the journal Medical Care has concluded that a computerized reminder system increased colorectal cancer screening rates by 9 percent on average at community-based primary care physician offices. The system, ClinfoTracker, helps physicians and patients follow preventive screening guidelines for chronic diseases. It allows doctors to mark whether a test was completed, ordered, discussed with the patient or refused. It also sends reminders by phone call, mail or email if a test is ordered but not completed.

To conduct the study, ClinfoTracker was integrated into 12 primary care practices, each of which were participants in Michigan's Great Lakes Research into Practice network. After nine months, the researchers concluded that average colorectal cancer screening rates rose from 41.7 percent at the study's outset to 66.5 percent at the end of the study.

To learn more about the study:
- read this Healthcare IT News piece

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