Colorectal cancer prevention program provides free colonoscopies and health education in underserved communities
Colorectal cancer screenings save lives. That’s why M Health Fairview provides free colonoscopy screenings and health education for people in underserved communities. This March, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the colorectal cancer prevention program celebrates 10 years.
Through our program, free colonoscopies are available to adults from diverse communities, ages 45-75, who live in Minnesota. Participants must be under- or uninsured. To date, 345 free colonoscopy procedures have been performed and thousands of people have received information about colorectal cancer. Screening paused in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, but cancer education continued. The goal for 2024 is to perform 50 total colonoscopies and continue community education. Program outreach and screenings focus on community members in M Health Fairview hospital service areas.
Screening is key
Colorectal (colon) cancer — a disease that starts in the colon or rectum — is the third most common cancer diagnosis and second leading cause of cancer death in Minnesota for both men and women, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Screening helps find cancer or potential problems early when they are easier to treat. Studies show that colorectal cancer screening rates in Minnesota are only 50-55% in non-white populations, compared to 75% in white populations. The pandemic made that disparity worse.
“Screenings are preventive medicine and important for all adults,” said Francisco Ramirez, supervisor of community education and outreach for M Health Fairview Community Advancement. “It’s better to detect an issue early and treat it versus discovering that the patient already has an advanced stage of cancer. This program is removing barriers to cancer screenings and helping our health system advance health equity in our communities.”
The colorectal cancer prevention program started at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital in 2014. The need for education and screening was identified through a community health needs assessment, a process where our system engages with community members, local nonprofits, and public health departments to understand the health needs and strengths of our communities.
“From our assessment, people in diverse areas, particularly the Latine community, identified cancer screenings as a top health priority,” said Ramirez. “We also learned some groups are reluctant to get the procedure due to cultural beliefs or language barriers.”
The program expanded to M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital the following year and M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital in 2023.
A team effort
Several M Health Fairview departments work together to make the program a success. Ramirez and his Community Advancement colleagues, along with clinicians, spend the spring months providing culturally specific colorectal cancer education to encourage people to get recommended screenings and demystify the screening process. The team partners with our Community Advancement cultural brokers, the Minnesota Department of Health, local churches, community organizations and clinics, and the Mexican Consulate to spread the word. Ramirez is also a regular on La Nueva Joya and Telemundo radio, providing cancer education and resources. These relationships are key to the program’s success.
Participants who meet program criteria are scheduled for a free colonoscopy during the summer and fall.
“There is a group of people working behind the scenes to make the screenings happen,” said Liz Francois, RN, nurse manager of endoscopy and central sterile supply at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital. “We’ve been doing the program for so long at Southdale Hospital, it feels kind of seamless. All the staff involved have a passion for working with our diverse communities.”
Francois has been involved in the program since the beginning and helped expand it to the other locations, along with Ramirez. She coordinates many of the details, including working with our pharmacies to get preparation medications, nurse managers to set up appointments, and communicating with more than 25 providers. The providers, employed by Fairview, University of Minnesota Physicians, and Fairview Physician Associates, donate their professional time. Interpreters are also available to assist patients through the process onsite.
Ramirez is the bridge between the patients and our healthcare system. Before a screening, he meets with each person to provide their medications, explain the process, answer questions, and offer support.
“It can feel like a complex process to get a colonoscopy,” said Ramirez. “The days before an individual’s screening I try to be available 24/7. Sometimes a patient will say, ‘I forgot how to take the medicine, or I forgot if I'm able to eat this or that.’ I’m here to answer their questions.”
Nearly half of the program participants have polyps, which can become cancerous, detected and removed during their screening. For patients who need follow up, the screening team helps them figure out next steps.
“It makes me a little teary to think about the people we work with who are underserved in healthcare for a variety of reasons,” said Francois. “If we can remove polyps before they can even grow into cancer, it seems like a no brainer. The alternative is a potential life-altering cancer diagnosis down the line. I’m very happy that we can provide free colonoscopies.”
As a healthcare system and anchor institutions in our communities, M Health Fairview is committed to health equity and serving our patients, staff, and community.
