Community Guide UseThe Michigan Cancer Consortium (MCC) used
The Guide to Community Preventive Services (The Community Guide) to increase breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening rates among their 7,000 employees and employee dependents. Click the PDF icon to download the full text of this Community Guide
success story, "The MCC Challenge."
ImplementationThe MCC Challenge was launched in March 2011. In the first year, eight
organizations participated in the challenge by completing an assessment to identify gaps in coverage, access, and knowledge regarding cancer screenings within their organizations. The organizations reported their breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening rates based on Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (
HEDIS) measures. Based on the initial assessment and HEDIS measures, they created an action plan to implement The Community Guide's recommended strategies.
Outcomes
Successes of the MCC Challenge include:
- Karmonos Cancer Institute - Established a new policy to use group education to inform employees of their insurance coverage for cancer screening and the benefits of being screened
- Catherine's Health Center - Obtained a group health plan for the first time - covering all copayments and deductibles for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings
- Northwest Health Department - Continued to enhance their wellness initiatives, which have a 98% participation rate, by including incentives for employees
- Health Plus of Michigan - Offered incentives for their employees to complete their cancer screenings
Model Capacity
The MCC's experience with using The Community Guide can serve as a model for other organizations looking to create a comprehensive worksite wellness program which includes cancer screening. As a statewide cancer coalition, the MCC found the recommendations of The Community Guide extremely beneficial in reinforcing the importance of cancer screenings for their employees. The organizations participating in the MCC Challenge that have had the greatest success in implementing The Community Guide's interventions will be used as a model for other organizations to successfully implement evidence-based strategies in their communities.
Resulting Changes in Practice
After the success of the first year, the MCC continues to encourage their organizations to take the MCC Challenge. Participating organizations stated that the strategies from The Community Guide have:
- Encouraged a positive culture around cancer screening at their workplaces
- Created stronger relationships with their insurance providers and therefore a more routine analysis of their HEDIS measures
Partnerships and CollaborationsThe MCC was able to work with
C-Change, a national organization of cancer prevention leaders, to further promote evidence-based strategies to increase cancer screening, including access to free small media. The American Cancer Society (ACS) is an MCC member and took the MCC Challenge. ACS was able to offer their free worksite wellness initiatives to the other participating organizations. A new partnership with a National Cancer Institute Research to Reality (NCI R2R) Mentorship Program has formed with MCC Challenge participants. Organizations who are interested will work with the NCI R2R mentor to send client reminders for colorectal cancer screening. The mentor will assist with implementing The Community Guide recommended strategy of client reminders for the organization and follow-up at three and six months to assess the success of the intervention.
Quality Improvement Methods
Several technical assistance calls are held throughout the MCC Challenge process. During the calls, organizations share what barriers they have encountered and how they have succeeded in overcoming the challenges. Organizations agree to track their rate for HEDIS screening measures for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer when committing to the MCC Challenge. In August 2012, after one year of participating in the MCC Challenge, the organizations will again review their HEDIS screening measures to see if the policies implemented were successful in increasing employee cancer screenings.
View all of The Community Guide
success stories from the 2012
"I'm Your Community Guide!" Contest.