Blue Review
A newsletter for contracting institutional and professional providers

August 2017

Colon Cancer Screenings Goal: 80% Participation by 2018 – Will you commit?

In collaboration with the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) has signed a pledge to have 80 percent of our members ages 50-75, screened for colon cancer by 2018.

“This collaboration is another example of how BCBSIL works with organizations to advocate on matters important to the wellbeing of our members,” said Chief Medical Officer for BCBSIL, Dr. Stephanie Vomvouras. “We strongly encourage our members age 50 and older to get screened for colon cancer. Those younger than 50 with risk factors for colon cancer should check with their health care providers to see if they need screening starting at an earlier age. We are reaching out to you, as their health care providers, to help get the word out and make guideline-based colorectal cancer screening a priority."

How far away are we from reaching this goal? In 2016, the national Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) PPO average was 57.1 percent compared to BCBSIL’s commercial PPO HEDIS result of 55.94 percent.

We need your help to reach this goal. Over the next few months, we will be providing articles on Colorectal Cancer (CRC) screenings, as well as barriers to CRC screenings. These articles will provide useful information such as:

  • CRC screening test options and selections most suitable for your patients overcoming barriers to CRC screenings
  • How to implement a CRC screening program in your practice

The biggest influencer to motivate patients to get screened is you and your staff. Identify your patients who need a CRC screening, talk to them about the importance of CRC screenings and encourage them to be screened. You may also want to ask your most persuasive and educated staff to answer questions and concerns, and help patients commit and complete CRC screenings.

Thank you in advance for your commitment to this important preventive screening.

Learn more. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing free continuing education for PCPs, nurses, nurse practitioners and clinicians who perform colonoscopies. Visit the CDC website to access Screening for Colorectal Cancer: Optimizing Quality* and other CDC training resources.

*https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/quality/

The above material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own best medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the best course of treatment.

HEDIS is a registered trademark of NCQA