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Colorectal Cancer Screening Supports

According to the American Cancer Society, treatment for colorectal cancer in its earliest stage can lead to a 90 percent survival rate after five years, but more than a third of adults 50-75 do not get the recommended screening. Due to the Coronavirus, ACS is estimating a decrease of 83-90% in CRC screening and 18,800 patients with a delayed cancer diagnosis (IQVIA Institute, April 2020). Now, more than ever it is essential to identify innovative ways to ensure that all eligible patients in Massachusetts are screened for colorectal cancer.

CRCS Learning Collaborative:

The League, with funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health through the Centers for Disease Control, is currently leading a Colorectal Cancer Learning Collaborative with a forth cohort of health center participants. There are currently three federally qualified health centers participating in this two-year collaborative.

Grounded in evidence-based interventions, our Collaborative focuses on strategies that are relevant now as well as beyond the pandemic such as tests of change for working adult preventive screening back into new workflows, mailing FIT kits to patients, and targeting populations at higher risk for CRC. Over the last 5 years, fourteen health centers in Massachusetts have participated in this learning collaborative, implementing evidence-based interventions that involve team-based solutions, are consistent with population health best practices, and are sustainable beyond the grant period. Within the collaborative structure, the richest learning and teaching has come through health centers sharing with one another. Interventions health centers have tested and adopted during the collaborative include:

  • FIT test screening
  • Patient and provider reminder systems
  • Provider screening rate assessment and feedback
  • Patient education and navigation
  • Staff and provider education and training
  • Health information technology supports for CRCS

Other Opportunities for Involvement:

Although the opportunity for formal participation in the learning collaborative is closed, all health centers in Massachusetts are welcome to join the Colorectal Cancer Learning Collaborative Online Community. Here, members will have access to quarterly webinar opportunities, a library of resources including tools developed within the collaborative as well as a discussion board to post questions to other members. For more information about joining the online community or for additional support from the League, please contact Leslie Salas Karnes, Manager, Public Health Initiatives, at lskarnes@massleague.org.

Many valuable resources have been collected and disseminated during the collaborative and selected items are available here on our Colorectal Cancer Screening Resource Library page.

Boston-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Video:

Don’t wait to be screened for colorectal cancer! Watch this important message, a collaboration between American Cancer Society, Boston Medical Center, Boston Public Health Commission, Codman Square Health Center, Dana Farber Cancer Center, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Whittier Street Health Center. This video is free and accessible to any organization and no permission or approval is required to access or use the video.

To download the video to share on waiting rooms screens etc., please use this dropbox link.

To share on social media, please use this Youtube link.

Updated June 2023