March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time to remind everyone that regular screenings save lives.
Three of the Primary Care Coalition’s safety net clinics are participating in a year-long Maryland Colorectal Cancer Control Program (MCRCCP) grant to increase screening rates. The grant involves implementing evidence-based interventions and quality improvements.
“The participating clinics are significantly increasing their screening rates, some by as much as 50 percent,” said Mary Jane Joseph, PCC project manager. “Because education helps patients understand that screenings improve their health outcomes, clinics are creating new lines of communication. They are also developing new process maps and finding ways to add a sense of camaraderie to attain better screening rates.”
The program began July 1, 2023, and will continue through June 29, 2024. Holy Cross, Proyecto Salud, and the Muslim Community Clinic are the three clinics participating in the grant program. They will be able to share what they’ve learned during the program with the other safety net clinics in Montgomery County, and there may be opportunities for other clinics to participate in future grant programs.
The Primary Care Coalition is seeking additional funding for colonoscopies performed when initial FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) screening results are positive. Colonoscopies provide colorectal cancer screenings and prevention, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults aged 45-75 be screened regularly.
Three of the Primary Care Coalition’s safety net clinics are participating in a year-long Maryland Colorectal Cancer Control Program (MCRCCP) grant to increase screening rates. The grant involves implementing evidence-based interventions and quality improvements.
“The participating clinics are significantly increasing their screening rates, some by as much as 50 percent,” said Mary Jane Joseph, PCC project manager. “Because education helps patients understand that screenings improve their health outcomes, clinics are creating new lines of communication. They are also developing new process maps and finding ways to add a sense of camaraderie to attain better screening rates.”
The program began July 1, 2023, and will continue through June 29, 2024. Holy Cross, Proyecto Salud, and the Muslim Community Clinic are the three clinics participating in the grant program. They will be able to share what they’ve learned during the program with the other safety net clinics in Montgomery County, and there may be opportunities for other clinics to participate in future grant programs.
The Primary Care Coalition is seeking additional funding for colonoscopies performed when initial FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) screening results are positive. Colonoscopies provide colorectal cancer screenings and prevention, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults aged 45-75 be screened regularly.
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