Can interventions help improve timely follow-up exams?

A multilevel primary care intervention can improve timely follow-up of overdue abnormal cancer screening test results for several cancers, according to research published October 10 in JAMA. A team led by Steven Atlas, MD, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that their intervention, which includes electronic health record (EHR) reminders and patient outreach with or without patient navigation, found higher rates of follow-up completion within 120 days and 240 days of enrollment for breast, lung, cervical, and colorectal cancers compared with usual care. “We believe that such systems are best based in primary care because primary care clinicians take a ‘whole person’ approach and are responsible for a wide range of preventive health efforts including cancer screening and follow-up of test results,” Atlas told AuntMinnie.com.  Timely follow-up exams following abnormal screening results are needed to address said findings earlier. For breast cancer screening, this may include supplemental ultrasound or MRI. For lung cancer screening, additional CT imaging may be needed. However, several barriers exist for patients to schedule and attend their follow-ups. The researchers noted that the responsibility for managing abnormal test results is “often less organized and variably falls to the performing or ordering clinician.” They also wrote that primary care clinicians often see themselves as responsible for managing the diagnostic evaluation of all abno...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Practice Management Careers Imaging Leaders Source Type: news