Colorectal cancer screening saves lives, yet more than 1 in 3 adults ages 45 and older is not getting screened as recommended.

Through a step-by-step format, this newly updated manual provides evidence-based, expert-endorsed strategies to improve colorectal cancer screening rates in primary care practices. The 2022 edition includes:

• An expanded scope to include all primary care settings
• Current screening guidelines and new screening modalities
• Expert-endorsed strategies
• Samples, templates, and tools, which you can view in the case studies or appendices
• Updated literature references
• Exemplary case studies (individually, or combined)

Background and Goals

The first edition, published in 2014, was one of the NCCRT’s most popular resources and has been instrumental in helping primary care practices throughout the United States achieve improvements in their colorectal cancer screening rates.

The goal of this manual is to offer evidence-based, expert-endorsed recommendations for planning and implementing strategies in primary care practices to improve colorectal cancer screening rates. This manual provides a succinct step-by-step guide for primary care teams to improve colorectal cancer screening and outcomes in practice. These simple steps will assist teams to effectively:

• Agree on and implement an office screening strategy
• Provide education on appropriate and high-quality screening
• Help patients to complete timely, recommended screening
• Track follow-up of screening and results
• Build networks among primary care, specialty care, and health systems
• Provide examples of workflows from successful programs

View the NCCRT’s July 25, 2022 Steps Guide update webinar recording and slide set for an introduction to the new edition and testimonials from two primary care clinician champions on how the manual can be used to transform colorectal cancer screening delivery.

Individual Case Studies

To download a document containing all of the case studies, download it here. If needed, click the links below to download individual case studies:

• Allegheny Health Network Premier Medical Associates
• Coal Country Community Health Center
• East Boston Neighborhood Center
• Family and Medical Counseling Service, Inc.
• Mercy Health System
• NOELA Community Health Center
• North Hudson Community Action Corporation
• Sanford Health
• Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center
• Zufall Health Community Health Center

Appendices

The following appendices provide field-tested tools, templates, and resources to support your work. Download the Steps Guide Case Studies document to view additional appendices corresponding to each of the 10 exemplary primary care site case studies, including sample patient letters and call scripts.

Acknowledgements

The NCCRT would like to thank the numerous people who generously offered their time and expertise to the development of this updated second edition.

NCCRT is especially grateful to the advisory committee, who generously offered their time and expertise to develop this guidebook’s research and content, to HealthEfficient for serving as the lead author on this second edition, and to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their support.

See the Acknowledgements section on page two of the Steps Guide for a comprehensive list of the many contributors.

This publication was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $825,000 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.