Increasing Screening Colonoscopy Rates in Middle-Aged Adults Through the Implementation of a Recall System

Colon cancer is a global disease that continues to increase in middle-aged adults. Although screening colonoscopies are recommended to prevent colon cancer colonoscopy rates continue to decline, notably in the middle-aged adult population. At a gastroenterology clinic in the United States, 32% of middle-aged adults were found to not be up-to-date on their screening colonoscopy exams. Reasons for this included a lack of communication secondary to patient awareness and provider failure. The purpose of this project is to improve surveillance colonoscopy rates among middle-aged adults by improving communication efforts. At a gastroenterology clinic in Southeast Alabama, an electronic chart review was used to identify middle-aged adult patients due for a screening colonoscopy. Each participant was issued two reminder phone calls and a letter. The phone call and letter alerted participants they were due for a screening colonoscopy and provided them with an opportunity to schedule the procedure. A pre-and post-chart audit was utilized to analyze completed colonoscopy rates before and after the intervention. Post-chart audit findings revealed a 60% increase in completed colonoscopy rates within three months of project completion. These results reveal that implementing a phone and mail recall is effective at increasing screening colonoscopy rates.