FIT testing, as the primary screening method for average risk individuals, launched across the province on June 24.
For patients with a positive test, there is a high probability of having colon cancer or a high-risk, complicated polyp.
As Cancer Care Ontario’s Regional Primary Care Lead for cancer screening and a local family physician, I recommend a hospital-based colonoscopy for these patients to enable:
• Colonoscopy within 8 weeks of referral using a centralized triaging (as per Cancer Care Ontario guidelines).
• A dedicated nurse navigator to avoid lost to follow-up, and encourage adequate preparation.
• Care provided by a collaborative team of advanced, FIT+ ready endoscopists, as well as specialized nursing, pathologists and colorectal surgeons.
• Access to all necessary equipment.
• Appropriate referrals and management of complex lesions as part of the process of care using a multidisciplinary review process.
• Collection of patient outcome data to enable ongoing, quality monitoring and improvement.
Hospital systems in this region providing FIT+ scopes are Hamilton Health Sciences, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Brant Community Healthcare System, Niagara Health System, Joseph Brant Hospital, Norfolk General Hospital, West Haldimand General Hospital and Haldimand War Memorial Hospital.
Please see the FIT Provider Resources hub for resources including a pdf of the integrated referral form and translation into Telus, OSCAR and Accuro EMRs.