Electronic Reminders to Promote Colorectal Cancer Screening

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates remain low, despite evidence that screening saves lives. To test whether electronic encouragement would improve these rates, Boston investigators identified 1851 patients in a community-based network of 14 ambulatory health centers who were overdue for CRC screening. The 1103 patients who were approved by their primary care physicians to participate were randomized to receive a single e-mail (from their physicians through the patient portal of an electronic medical record) or to usual care. The e-mail message noted that CRC screening was overdue and directed patients to a personalized Internet-based CRC risk assessment tool; patients could make electronic requests for either colonoscopy or home fecal …