INCREASING CANCER PREVENTION SERVICES USING THE INTERNET

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Computerized reminder systems have proven to be effective at improving low rates of cancer prevention and detection services (CPDSs), yet no method has been designed for disseminating evidence-based reminders for (CPDSs) into routine primary care. The aim of this Phase I SBJR is to develop and test a working prototype of an interactive website with the following major functions: 1) collect data prior to all physician visits regarding which CPDSs evidence-based guidelines suggest are due, 2) provide brief, tailored, advice on-screen to patients and faxed to physicians, regarding the CPDSs that the patient is due, 3) collect data after the physician visit regarding what CPDSs were performed or ordered, 4) provide brief, tailored, on-screen feedback for patients regarding their physicians? performance in delivering CPDSs during the visit and compares that performance to that of the physicians? other visits and to other physicians of the same specialty and 5) allow patients to search for physicians, organized by zip code, based on their performance of CPDSs. We believe this represents a significant potential avenue for disseminating CPDSs guidelines and potentially guidelines for specific clinical conditions. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The prototype interactive website has the potential to be marketed to the following groups: (1) consumers who are interested in knowing what CPDSs they are due or who are interested in comparing physician performance based on delivery of CPDSs; (2) physicians who may be interested in using the service to streamline their delivery of routine CPDSs; (3) managed care organizations who may be interested in encouraging the dissemination of CPDSs to improve their quality rankings.