Stay Ahead of Colon Cancer Initiative
A CDC-funded program bringing free colorectal cancer screenings to those Georgians who need it the most.
THE PROBLEM: Today, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second mostly deadly cancer in the United States.
Risk factors include age, race, personal history of polyps, family history of colorectal cancer (CRC) or inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, diabetes, low fiber/ high fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and alcohol intake. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that average risk adults who are between 45 and 75 years old get screened for colorectal cancer.
Though the average screening rate for eligible patients in Georgia is 70%, the rate in southwest Georgia is only 53% and in southeast Georgia, the rate is only 33%.
THE PROGRAM: Georgia CORE, the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University, and Horizons Community Solutions are partners in the Georgia Colorectal Cancer Control Program (GCRCCP). The five-year, CDC-funded program began in July 2020 and is part of CDC's national “ScreenOutCancer” initiative.
THE GOALS
Short term:
- Increase colorectal screening to at least 60% and strive for 80% of patients at the designated healthcare clinic partners
- Prevent colorectal cancers
- Decrease late-stage colorectal cancer diagnoses
Long term:
- Decrease the incidence of colorectal cancer in the state
- Reduce mortality rates from colorectal cancer in the state
THE REACH: Currently the program is being implemented at 18 healthcare clinics within the boundaries of three Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs):
Albany Area Primary Health Care
AAPHC Women’s Health Center
Dawson Medical Center
East Albany Medical Center
Hotz Scoggins Medical Center
Lee Medical Arts Center in Leesburg
South Albany Medical Center
S. Trussell Medical Center, Vienna
Rural Model, Albany
Primary Care of Southwest Georgia (PCSG), Blakely
East Georgia Healthcare Center
EGHC of Metter
EGHC of Mount Vernon
EGHC of Millen
EGHC of Reidsville
EGHC of Soperton
Statesboro Pediatrics & Family Healthcare
EGHC of Swainsboro
EGHC of Vidalia
EGHC of Wadley
Details for all AAPHC locations are here >
Details for all EGHC locations are here.>
THE IMPACT: More than half-way through the five-year funded program, GCRCCP has:
- Expanded the program to 18 clinics and three FQHCs.
- Implemented monthly Colorectal Cancer Screening TeleECHO Program accessed by providers in Georgia and throughout the country.
- Increased Colorectal Cancer screening: In 2022, an additional 715 patients were screened at our SW Georgia clinics and additional 497 patients were screened at our SE Georgia clinics.
- Enhanced in person site visits among partners to the various clinics in the Southwest and Southeast parts of Georgia.
- Developed a clinic dashboard for each of the 15 clinics in SW and SE Georgia that demonstrates CRC screening rates by various populations within that clinic. This information is shared during individual site visits with the clinics. Clinics have the opportunity to focus on health equity and enhancing CRC screening rates with this data.
- Identified a new partner in Savannah to join the GCRCCP in Program Year 4.
- Selected EBIs for each clinic that consist of client and provider reminders, provider assessment/feedback and reducing structural barriers.
- Leveraged CDC-funded colonoscopies with colonoscopies donated by Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital at eight clinics in southwest Georgia.
- Signed agreements with Emanuel Medical Center in Swainsboro, Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton and Candler County Hospital in Metter to provide colonoscopies to patients who qualify for partner clinics in southeast Georgia.
Because of GCRCCP, more than 12,000 Georgians in southwest and southeast Georgia currently have access to this colorectal screening program. Receive GCRCCP updates by subscribing to our mailing list.
If you don’t see a clinic listed here close to you, please contact your local Regional Cancer Coalition for information about available screenings in your area.
PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL
Last Updated: 8/15/2023 10:47:25 AM