North Texas Research Forum 2025
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Division
North Texas
Hospital
Medical City Arlington
Specialty
Internal Medicine
Document Type
Presentation
Publication Date
2025
Keywords
colorectal screening, cancer screening, colorectal cancer, quality improvement
Disciplines
Digestive System Diseases | Internal Medicine | Medicine and Health Sciences | Neoplasms | Quality Improvement
Abstract
Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Despite its severity, fewer than half of eligible Americans undergo annual screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends CRC screening from age 45 to 75, with personalized assessments for those aged 76 to 85. The current CRC screening rate at the Medical City North Hills Internal Medicine Residents’ Clinic is 9.3%, significantly below the target rate of over 66%. Objective: This project aimed to increase the CRC screening rate from 9.3% to over 66% at the Medical City North Hills Internal Medicine Residents Clinic, in line with USPSTF recommendations. Method: Barriers to screening were identified, including acute medical issues, high screening costs, and inefficient workflows, improper documentation of screened patients, and inadequate education of resident physicians and other clinic staff on CRC screening. Cost-free solutions were implemented, such as re-education on CRC screening guidelines, proper documentation in the electronic medical record (eCW), and workflow modifications to ensure resident physicians received screening forms before patient encounters. Monthly CRC screening rates were tracked to monitor progress. Results: From January to June 2024, the percentage of patients screened for CRC gradually increased, with a notable spike between March and April 2024. This rise plateaued in May and June, followed by a slight decline through September. The increase was attributed to the new measures, while the plateau and decline were linked to the onboarding of new residents unfamiliar with the EMR (eCW) system and modified workflows. Conclusion: The implemented measures successfully improved the CRC screening rate from 9.3% to 35.28%. However, the target rate has not yet been achieved, and continued efforts are necessary. Future QI projects should address screening rate drops during new resident onboarding.
Original Publisher
HCA Healthcare Graduate Medical Education
Recommended Citation
Nduma, Basil; Raguthu, Sharvani; Subrahmanyam, Gurunath; and Sturgeon, John, "Improving Colon & Rectal Cancer Screening at Medical City North Hills Clinic" (2025). North Texas Research Forum 2025. 12.
https://scholarlycommons.hcahealthcare.com/northtexas2025/12
Included in
Digestive System Diseases Commons, Internal Medicine Commons, Neoplasms Commons, Quality Improvement Commons