A Digital Intake Tool for colorectal cancer screening programs

Each year more than 2.2 million people aged 55-75 years are invited for the national colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program. Around 5%, which corresponds to 77.000 screenees yearly, have a positive FIT and will be referred for colonoscopy. Currently this population is seen at an outpatient clinic before colonoscopy is carried out to assess morbidity, risk of complications and informing patients about the procedure and CRC risk. For symptomatic patients, this face-to-face intake is successfully replaced by a digital route in some endoscopic centres. In contrast to symptomatic patients most of the screenees are healthy. Therefore, we assume that it will also be possible to shift this type of health care to a more home- based setting by using a digital intake tool in colorectal cancer screening programs tailored for FIT positives. This will facilitate screenees and health care providers, improve capacity for outpatient visits and reduce health care costs. In this study we will assess the applicability of a digital intake tool in the Dutch colorectal cancer screening program in participants with a positive FIT who are referred for colonoscopy.

This study will evaluate if a pre-colonoscopy consultation at the outpatient clinic can be replaced by an eHealth tool for FIT positive participants who are referred for colonoscopy. 

This is a prospective multicentre study with a non-inferiority design to evaluate

the feasibility of the DIT in a CRC screening population. The DIT will triage all participants and inform them about CRC risk, colonoscopy, sedation and provide bowel preparation instructions.

An eHealth assessment and education tool for evaluating and educating FIT positive participants who are referred for colonoscopy, 'the Digital Intake Tool'.