Analysis of patient charts from the thirty-two POs that completed participation in the two-year study failed to show any interval difference in CRC screening rates between the POs that were assisted in using strategies to increase screening and the POs that did not. Despite CRC screening being reimbursable by the managed care insurance company and access to a primary care provider, only 26 percent of eligible patients actually were screened in any way for CRC. Only 29 percent of these were screened according to recommended guidelines.

Characterization of CRC screening in this setting revealed that patients who were over 60 years old, received a physical in the previous two years, or were enrolled in a PO with an integrated medical group (more organizational structure) were more likely to receive a CRC screening test.

"We failed to demonstrate an intervention effect in this study," concluded the authors. However, they were able to identify provider organization and patient characteristics, specifically, integrated medical organizations and having a regular physical examination, which future interventions should exploit.

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Contact: David Greenberg
dgreenbe@wiley.com
201-748-6484
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
10-Oct-2005