Evaluation of a VHA collaborative to improve follow-up after a positive colorectal cancer screening test.

Powell AA, Nugent S, Ordin DL, Noorbaloochi S, Partin MR. Evaluation of a VHA collaborative to improve follow-up after a positive colorectal cancer screening test. Medical care. 2011 Oct 1; 49(10):897-903.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• CDA 08-024 – Optimizing VA Care by Integrating VA Measurement

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.    Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions

Search for Abstract from PubMed

---

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: In 2005, the Veterans Health Administration initiated a yearlong Colorectal Cancer Care Collaborative (C4) to improve timely follow-up after positive fecal occult blood tests. METHODS: Twenty-one facilities formed local quality improvement (QI) teams. Teams received QI training, created process flow maps, implemented process changes, and shared learning through 2 face-to-face meetings, conference calls, and a discussion board. We evaluated pre-post change in the timeliness of follow-up among C4 facilities and 3 control facilities. Outcome measures included the proportion of patients receiving a follow-up colonoscopy within 1 year, the proportion receiving 60-day follow-up (the focus of C4 teams), and average days to colonoscopy. Survey data from C4 team members was analyzed to identify predictors of facility-level improvement. RESULTS: Both C4 and control facilities improved on 1-year follow-up (10% and 9% increases, respectively, both P's < 0.001). There was a statistically significant increase in the proportion receiving 60-day follow-up among C4 facilities (27% pre-C4 vs. 39% post-C4, P = 0.008) but a nonsignificant decrease among control facilities (45% pre-C4 vs. 29% post-C4, P = 0.14). Average days to colonoscopy decreased significantly among C4 facilities (129 pre-C4 vs. 103 post-C4, P = 0.004) but increased significantly among control facilities (81 pre-C4 vs. 103 post-C4, P = 0.04). Teams with the most improvement established clear roles/goals, had previous QI training, made more use of QI tools, and incorporated primary care education into their improvement work. CONCLUSIONS: A Veterans Health Administration improvement collaborative modestly decreased time to colonoscopy after a positive colorectal cancer screening test but significant room for improvement remains and benefits of participation were not realized by all facilities.