Brumback Clinics recognized as a leader in colorectal cancer prevention with 80% by 2018 National Achievement Award

Ribbon with text to the right that reads 80 percent by 2018. National Achievement Award Honoree

The C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics today were selected by the American Cancer Society's National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT) as an honoree recipient of the 2017 "80% by 2018 National Achievement Awards."

The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, an organization co-founded by the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recognized the Brumback Clinics from among a combined total of six honorees nationally.

The award recognizes the Brumback Clinics' leadership in the ongoing effort to increase colorectal cancer screening rates across the United States. The honor also recognizes the Clinics' work toward the American Cancer Society initiative's shared goal of regularly screening 80% of adults aged 50 and older for colorectal cancer by 2018.

NCCRT will recognize the award honorees at a live event and webcast in Times Square on March 1st.

The Brumback Clinics' colorectal cancer prevention program has one of the highest screening rates among community health centers in the country. The Clinics increased their colorectal cancer screening rate among age-eligible patients from 37% in 2014 to 75% in 2016.

They also implemented a number of practice changes to increase screening, including weekly provider-specific screening rate reports, patient navigation to encourage patients to complete fecal immunochemical tests (FITs).

Doctor Daniel Kairys and nurse Pam Ellison stand next to a patient in bed

Daniel B. Kairys, MD, Lakeside Medical Center's Chief Medical Officer and Chief of Surgery, and Pam Ellison, RN, Surgery, with a Brumback Clinics patient who was positively impacted by the colorectal cancer prevention program. Dr. Kairys performs colonoscopies on patients identified by the Clinics' program for the procedure.

The Brumback Clinics collaborated with Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade to implement an open access colonoscopy protocol so that patients only need to make one trip to the hospital for their exam. Lakeside Medical Center is an acute-care hospital in Belle Glade that is owned and operated by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, which also owns and operates the Brumback Clinics.

As part of their innovative strategy, the Brumback Clinics piloted a “poop on demand” program where the stool sample for the FIT test is collected during the clinic visit rather than at home. This improved the rate of returned FIT test kits by 30%.

Seventy-six percent of Brumback Clinic patients age 50-75 years are screened for colon cancer at the present time. The average rate among community health centers is 38%.

Colorectal cancer is the nation’s second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. when men and women are combined; however, it is one of only a few cancers that can be prevented. Through colorectal cancer screening, doctors can find and remove hidden growths (called “polyps”) in the colon, before they become cancerous. Removing polyps can prevent cancer.