Community Health Center of the New River Valley is partnering with University of Virginia Cancer Center to boost Southwest Virginia’s colorectal cancer screening rate by mailing at-home test kits to patients.
Backed by nearly $600,000 from the Jeffress Trust, the health center plans to mail 950 fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits by the end of 2024 to patients who have been identified by the health center as not up to date on their colorectal cancer screening. Through a robust screening navigation process established as part of the new effort — including the hiring of a cancer screening navigator — patients will receive follow-up reminders to return their FIT kits and will receive assistance in scheduling a colonoscopy if their FIT test comes back positive.
The new initiative hopes to solve the challenge of how to boost colorectal cancer screening rates, especially in rural, medically underserved areas such as Southwest Virginia where screening rates are typically lower. Colorectal cancer screening is recommended beginning at age 45 for average-risk Americans, but only 67% of Americans are up to date on their screening. At Community Health Center of the New River Valley, a federally qualified health center that cares for patients regardless of their ability to pay, 53.5% of patients are up to date on their colorectal cancer screening. The program aims to boost screening rates to the national goal of 80%. Read More >