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Prompting and Reminding at Encounters for Prevention (PREP)

An Effective Practice

Description

Prompting and Reminding Encounter for Prevention (PREP) uses Clinfo Tracker, a computerized reminder system, to provide colorectal screening reminders to health care providers. The screening reminders are set according to United States Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, based on age and history of prior screening services. Colorectal cancer screening is recommended to patients over age 50. When possible, the reminder system is integrated with electronic appointment systems so that the reminders are automatically printed in advance of patient appointments. In practices with no electronic scheduling, reminder forms are placed in patient charts.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the PREP computerized reminder system is to increase colorectal cancer screening.

Results / Accomplishments

PREP was evaluated using a pre- and post-implementation study. Screening rates across the 12 practices implementing the program significantly increased, from 41.7% to 50.9% (p = 0.002). Colorectal cancer screening rates increased in all but one practice, ranging from 3.3% to 16.8% improvement. Practices with high technology capabilities had significantly more printing days than practices with low technology practices (74% vs. 45%, p = 0.01), but printing days did not influence screening rate improvement.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
University of Michigan Department of Family Medicine
Primary Contact
Don Nease
Department of Family Medicine
University of Michigan
1018 Fuller Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 998-7120
dnease@umich.edu
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/prep/home
Topics
Health / Cancer
Health / Health Care Access & Quality
Health / Prevention & Safety
Organization(s)
University of Michigan Department of Family Medicine
Source
Medical Care
Date of publication
Sep 2008
Date of implementation
2003
Geographic Type
Rural
Location
Michigan
For more details
Target Audience
Adults
Santa Cruz