Colorectal Cancer Screening (COL)

What Is the Measure?

This measure looks at the percentage of enrolled patients 45 to 75 years of age who have had appropriate screening for colorectal cancer.

Documentation

Documentation in the medical record must include a note indicating the date the colorectal cancer screening was performed. A result is required. This ensures that the screening was performed and not just ordered. Patientreported colorectal cancer screenings are acceptable if the screening is documented in the patient’s medical history.

Eligible Codes

The patient must have undergone one of the following screening procedures during the indicated dates in order to satisfy this measure:

Exclusions

• Hospice care

• History of a total colectomy

• Living in long-term institutional settings

Patient refusal does not exclude patient from the measure.

Common Errors

• Not report a result

How to Improve Score

• Integrate screening reminders into EHRs

• Review care gap reports and outreach to eligible patients

• Educate patients regarding benefits of screening (i.e., early detection)

• Discuss available options with patient, including less invasive options (e.g., FOBT, Cologuard)

• Offer assistance with scheduling screening procedures