An outreach program at Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente Northern California more than doubled colorectal cancer screening rates in almost 20 years, from 37.4% in 2000 to 79.8% in 2019.
The research, led by Douglas Corley, MD, PhD, Permanente Medical Group’s chief research officer, was presented May 3 at the 2025 Digestive Disease Week meeting.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California first implemented the screening program in 2006, which alerted patients of the need for colorectal cancer screening and mailed them an at-home fecal immunochemical test kit, according to an April 25 news release from the health system.
While cancer diagnoses initially increased, diagnoses decreased by about 30% over time due to more consistent routine screening. Mortality rates were cut in half over the study period, with the sharpest decline in deaths observed among Black patients.
“Our study shows that consistent and comprehensive screening outreach to all eligible members, with no in-person visit required, can make an extraordinary difference in reducing colorectal cancer incidence and deaths and eliminating racial disparities,” Dr. Corley said in the release.
