GI Unit Leadership: EQuIP Your Team for Success (On-demand) | February 2024-Practical Tips for Improving Community Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow Up

Practical Tips for Improving Community Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow Up

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this segment, T.R. Levin discusses the importance of community engagement in GI endoscopy healthcare teams. Fecal testing has become a viable option for colorectal cancer screening, alongside colonoscopy. The U.S. Multi-Society Task Force considers fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) as a tier one test, while multi-target stool DNA testing is considered tier two. Levin emphasizes the need to move away from the outdated approach of categorizing tests as primarily detecting polyps or cancer. He presents studies that demonstrate the higher adherence rates with FIT as an alternative to colonoscopy. The FIT screening program at Kaiser Permanente follows a multi-step process that includes outreach, reminders, and collaboration with primary care providers. This approach has resulted in a significant increase in screening rates. Levin emphasizes the need for gastroenterologists to engage with primary care physicians and make it easier for patients to undergo colonoscopy when needed. He concludes by highlighting the potential of non-invasive testing in increasing screening rates and the importance of maximizing follow-up after positive FIT results.

Asset Subtitle

T.R. Levin, MD

Keywords

community engagement

GI endoscopy healthcare teams

colorectal cancer screening

Fecal immunochemical testing

Kaiser Permanente FIT screening program