Patient/Provider Communication Assistant
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
The Patient/Provider Communication Assistant is a computer-based program designed to encourage colorectal cancer screening among patients at rural primary care practices. The program is administered immediately before a health care visit, and educates patients between 50 and 80 years of age about colorectal cancer screening options and recommendations. The patient answers questions about screening history, intentions to be screened in the future, and lifestyle risk factors. The program has an audio component, which reads the question on the screen aloud. A video selected based on the patient's age and gender is included in the program. The program closes with personalized recommendations, and the patient receives a written summary of their answers with a note encouraging them to speak with their health care provider about screening. A page including self-reported screening status, intentions to be screened, and personal risk factors is placed in the patient's chart for future medical visits.
Goal / Mission
The goal of this program is to improve communication between providers and patients about colorectal cancer screening.
Results / Accomplishments
This program was evaluated using a pre-post quasi-experimental design. Providers were significantly more likely to talk with patients about colorectal cancer screening in general (p = 0.04), and colonoscopy in particular (p = 0.01) following the implementation of the Patient/Provider Communication Assistant than with the comparison group. Providers recommended colorectal cancer screening more often to patients in the intervention group than the comparison group (p = 0.02). Patients were significantly more likely to plan on being screened with colonoscopy after the intervention than in the comparison group (p = 0.003). Nearly all (95%) patients found the Patient/Provider Communication Assistant computer program easy to use, regardless of age or educational background.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
University of Vermont Office of Health Promotion Research
Primary Contact
Berta Geller
Office of Health Promotion Research
College of Medicine
University of Vermont
One South Prospect St, 429AR4
Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 656-4187
Berta.Geller@uvm.edu
http://www.uvm.edu/~ohpr/
Office of Health Promotion Research
College of Medicine
University of Vermont
One South Prospect St, 429AR4
Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 656-4187
Berta.Geller@uvm.edu
http://www.uvm.edu/~ohpr/
Topics
Health / Cancer
Health / Health Care Access & Quality
Health / Prevention & Safety
Health / Health Care Access & Quality
Health / Prevention & Safety
Organization(s)
University of Vermont Office of Health Promotion Research
Source
Medical Care
Date of publication
Sep 2008
Date of implementation
2005
Geographic Type
Rural
Location
Vermont
For more details
Target Audience
Adults