The Colonoscopy Transportation Strategy Action Group has been working on Objective 2 of Cancer Plan MN 2025. As part of this work, the Native American Community Clinic (NACC) has identified partners to help patients without transportation and/or family or friends to help them get home after a colonoscopy. This group met regularly to define areas of need, find resources, and brainstorm solutions.
With the help of a Community Health Worker (CHW), this group researched post-colonoscopy check out protocols of other organizations. It was determined that a patient representative will be needed for patients without family or friends to assist with check out procedures. With this information, the group created a flow chart detailing each organization’s check out process.
NACC began exploring a partnership with the Colon & Rectal Surgical Associates to help patients that do not have insurance, transportation, and family or friends. However, they are still working on issues with transportation cost. Additionally, this group hopes to form a partnership between NACC, AICAF, and Minnesota Gastroenterology (MNGi). They are working on having patients without a representative seen at MNGi. They will use a CHW from either AICAF or NACC to act as the patient representative and help the patient get a ride home. They plan to have the CHW receive the discharge instructions and give a follow up call to the patient later that same day. With this plan in mind, a Colonoscopy Transportation Care Coordination protocol detailing the roles and responsibilities of the Referral Coordinator and the CHW has been created for the clinic.
Throughout this group’s work, NACC has been serving patients to address their colonoscopy needs. From March through June 2018 NACC provided 38 colonoscopy referrals, 9 completed colonoscopies, and 5 transportation assistance/navigation. Also during this period, their CHW provided 17 colonoscopy referral follow ups.
