Randomized Electronic Promotion of Lung Cancer Screening: A Pilot

Screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography is endorsed by the US Preventive Services Task Force, but many eligible patients have yet to be offered screening. Major barriers to the implementation of screening are physician and system related-the requirement for a detailed smoking history, including pack-years, to determine eligibility. We conducted this pilot to determine the feasibility of lung cancer screening (LCS) promotion that would offer screening to eligible persons and patient completion of smoking history to estimate the size of the population of former smokers who may be eligible for LCS in a single health care system.

Two hundred participants were randomly selected from former smokers who were seen at the University of Minnesota Health in the past 2 years and assigned to control (usual care) and electronic promotion, stratified by age. Electronic messages to promote LCS were sent to an intervention group, including a link to complete a detailed smoking history in the electronic health record.

Of 99 participants, 66 (67%) in the intervention group read the message, 24 (36%) of 66 responded, and 19 (79%) of 24 respondents completed the smoking history. Ten intervention participants and 13 usual care participants were eligible for screening on the basis of pack-year history. Four eligible participants underwent screening in the intervention group compared with one participant in the usual care group.

Electronic promotion may help identify patients who are eligible for LCS but will not reliably reach all patients because of low response rates. In this sample of former smokers, the majority are ineligible for LCS on the basis of pack-year history. Electronic methods can improve documentation of smoking history.