December 2 Community Learning Session Mount Auburn Professional Services Practice Improvement Project 1 Primary Care Center December 2 Community Learning Session

Team Members Dr. William Beckett Carrie Chan-Administrative Assistant Ella Harmon-Clinical Assistant Laura Mahoney-Practice Manager

3 What did we work on? We wanted to improve IFOB return rates from 33% to 75%. Our test idea was to: Demo the kit before patient leaves and note dispense in EMR Call patient in 2 weeks if kit not returned Send letter to patient home if kit not returned in 3 weeks 3

4 What we found Our tests showed we did get a bump in return rates, but not as much as we hoped. (33% to 50%) So we need to test some other ideas. 4

Gathering new test ideas from patients – the most underutilized resource Partner with patients to Understand what the barriers are Together with patients come up with solutions to barriers How?....Ask and listen 5

Engaging Patients in Improvement Script to lay the groundwork – We'd like to ask you for a favor.  We are trying to figure out ways to have patients do the stool test and return it to our office 100% of the time,  and it would be really helpful if you tell us what you really think, and not what you think we want to hear! Your answers would be really useful and we appreciate your help. Questions to ask patients “How likely are you going to complete this test?” “What stops you from doing the test & returning it to the office?” and “What could we say or do that would make you more likely to complete and return the test? ” 6

Patient Responses Why patients do not return IFOB? Listed are obstacles that patients listed: Just don’t want to do it Don’t have the time for that Just forget It’s nasty (the fact that you have to play with your poop) Postage cost No return address (MAs self-address the return packet)