Module 3: Connect

Connecting with patients through provision of cancer screening reminders is an important preventative activity.

• Patients who are reminded by their GP are more likely to screen.¹
• The RACGP’s Putting prevention into practice lists organisational change and targeted reminders systems as the two most effective implementation strategies for improving preventative care in general practice (p.42).²

Module 3 provides an example of a cancer screening workflow that systematises:

• family history taking
• cancer screening reminders for all eligible patients
• integration of screening with activities that support improved patient care and business outcomes (e.g. General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMPs) and health assessments).

Steps 2 to 8 of Module 3 provide helpful information that supports implementation of the workflow, including:

• simple organisational changes that your practice can make to ensure your cancer screening recall and reminder systems are effective and sustainable
• patient communication templates and software instructions.

Success in practice:

“In recent weeks, we have had three women diagnosed with breast cancer after being actively reminded to attend BreastScreen NSW by our practice. All of these women admitted that, if not prompted, they are not sure they would have booked for screening, and who knows what the outcome would have been. Now they are all receiving treatment and have a good prognosis. They are so appreciative of that simple phone call we made. This makes what we are doing feel so worthwhile.” 3

– Practice nurse, AB Surgery, West Kempsey

Where to next?

• Module 3: Work plan
• Step 1: Establish a cancer screening reminder workflow in your practice
• Step 2: Consider the pros and cons of different reminder methods
• Step 3: Review workflow correspondence templates and modify them, as required, to meet your practice
• Step 4: Select a family history assessment tool and develop a process for its use
• Step 5: Incorporate cancer screening into health assessment and GPMP templates
• Step 6: Consider adjusting your cancer screening service delivery based on patient feedback 
• Step 7: Allocate workflow tasks; support and train staff
• Step 8: Maximise point-of-care and opportunistic cancer screening reminders and education 
• Step 9: Regularly assess and document changes to cancer screening participation rates