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Computerized prompts for cancer screening in a community health center.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Yarnall, KS; Rimer, BK; Hynes, D; Watson, G; Lyna, PR; Woods-Powell, CT; Terrenoire, J; Barber, LT
Published in: J Am Board Fam Pract
1998

BACKGROUND: We describe the implementation and subsequent use of a computerized health maintenance tracking system in a large, urban, North Carolina community health center (Lincoln Community Health Center) as part of a larger study designed to increase rates of mammography, Papanicolaou tests, and smoking cessation in low-income African-Americans. METHODS: Clinicians from the Lincoln Community Health Center were involved in the design and implementation of the computer system. At each office visit, clinicians received a computerized encounter form indicating needed screening tests, counseling, and immunizations for each randomly selected study patient (n = 1318). RESULTS: Initial clinician compliance rates with filling out the form were 95 percent (mammography), 82 percent (Papanicolaou test), 77 percent (clinician breast examination), and 55 percent (smoking cessation). Cumulative compliance leveled off at 21 months to 65 percent, 57 percent, 53 percent, and 38 percent, respectively, despite multiple reminder strategies. When surveyed, most clinicians thought it was a good reminder system but said they did not always complete the form because of time demands. Costs of adapting and implementing the system were $23,332.08 ($17.70 per study). Per-patient costs would have been reduced further if more patients had been included in the project. CONCLUSIONS: State-of-the-art computer prompting systems can be useful in a community health center; however, even with prompting, clinicians still only addressed health maintenance with their patients about 50 percent of the time. Additional interventions will be needed, particularly in low-income populations, to meet the Healthy People 2000 goals in health promotion.

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Published In

J Am Board Fam Pract

DOI

ISSN

0893-8652

Publication Date

1998

Volume

11

Issue

2

Start / End Page

96 / 104

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Smoking Prevention
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Sampling Studies
  • Reminder Systems
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Medical Records Systems, Computerized
  • Mass Screening
  • Mammography
 

Citation

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Yarnall, K. S., Rimer, B. K., Hynes, D., Watson, G., Lyna, P. R., Woods-Powell, C. T., … Barber, L. T. (1998). Computerized prompts for cancer screening in a community health center. J Am Board Fam Pract, 11(2), 96–104. https://doi.org/10.3122/15572625-11-2-96
Yarnall, K. S., B. K. Rimer, D. Hynes, G. Watson, P. R. Lyna, C. T. Woods-Powell, J. Terrenoire, and L. T. Barber. “Computerized prompts for cancer screening in a community health center.J Am Board Fam Pract 11, no. 2 (1998): 96–104. https://doi.org/10.3122/15572625-11-2-96.
Yarnall KS, Rimer BK, Hynes D, Watson G, Lyna PR, Woods-Powell CT, et al. Computerized prompts for cancer screening in a community health center. J Am Board Fam Pract. 1998;11(2):96–104.
Yarnall, K. S., et al. “Computerized prompts for cancer screening in a community health center.J Am Board Fam Pract, vol. 11, no. 2, 1998, pp. 96–104. Pubmed, doi:10.3122/15572625-11-2-96.
Yarnall KS, Rimer BK, Hynes D, Watson G, Lyna PR, Woods-Powell CT, Terrenoire J, Barber LT. Computerized prompts for cancer screening in a community health center. J Am Board Fam Pract. 1998;11(2):96–104.

Published In

J Am Board Fam Pract

DOI

ISSN

0893-8652

Publication Date

1998

Volume

11

Issue

2

Start / End Page

96 / 104

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Smoking Prevention
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Sampling Studies
  • Reminder Systems
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Medical Records Systems, Computerized
  • Mass Screening
  • Mammography