Feasibility of implementing a patient education program on colorectal cancer screening in a general medicine clinic

Objective: Determine if a short multimedia program that provides information about colorectal cancer (CRC) and related screening options could be implemented in a busy clinical practice. Methods: Eligible patients were 50-80 years old, had not been screened for CRC, and were scheduled to see one of 10 study physicians. Patients were asked to view a 2-minute multimedia program on a portable DVD player before the physician entered the exam room. The program provided information about CRC, defined key terms (e.g., polyp), noted primary screening options, and recommended that patients talk to their physician about screening. Results: We collected baseline data on 26 patients (usual care) and 45 who viewed the multimedia program (intervention). The age range was 50-79 years (M=58.4, sd=8.5). On a 10-point scale (10=maximum), patients who saw the program gave the following ratings: Clear (M=9.1); Informative (M=8.5); Interesting (M=7.6); Believable (M=9.5); Easy to understand (M=9.6). Open-ended comments about the program were consistently positive. Three-month follow-up data (21 usual care, 38 intervention) show a promising trend in screening completion, from 76% usual care to 92% intervention. A focus group with participating physicians indicated acceptance of the multimedia program and viewing protocol. Discussion: A short multimedia patient education program can be feasibly introduced into a busy practice setting. It took advantage of time that patients waited to see the physician, did not disrupt workflow, and was well received by both patients and physicians. Large-scale studies are needed to determine the extent to which the program affects screening behavior.