Are you finding that more and more of your FIT requisitions are being rejected after submission to LifeLabs? Are you finding that many of your requisitions expire at 6 months without a FIT being completed? I am!
To try to address this, within my own practice, we created a digital communication pathway and communication templates. We use this pathway to communicate to our patients via email asynchronously (i.e. outside of an appointment), to remind all patients to complete their FIT kits and to respond to expired kits at the six month mark. The pathway includes the use of communication templates. I use Ocean software for emailing patients and I have input these FIT templates into eForms so anyone can use them. The eForm names all start with the word FIT so they are easy to find. If you do not use Ocean, you can cut and paste the templates into the forms within your own patient email software.
For new requisitions, one of the issues is incorrect address and OHIP numbers. Our pathway includes an interactive digital process for a patient to input these demographics prior to faxing a requisition to LifeLabs.
For requisitions that are not completed after three months, the pathway includes a reminder email.
For expired requisitions (at the six month mark), the pathway includes an email communication pathway and templates.
Within my own office, a variety of team members have different roles when ordering and following up FIT tests that includes admin, registered nurses and physicians. Because the workflow processes and teams at all of our offices are different, the pathway of course will likely need to be modified to suit other sites.
Please reach out to me at dr.meghan.davis@gmail.com with any comments, concerns or feedback.
Thank you,
Dr. Meghan Davis, B. Eng. MD FCFP
Primary Care Lead, HNHB Regional Cancer program
