Yale and New Haven Partner to Boost Colorectal Cancer Screenings

A new initiative between the Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and the New Haven community aims to improve access to colorectal cancer screenings, a leading cause of preventable cancer deaths. The project, launched under the Community Health Equity Accelerator, focuses on bridging gaps in screening and follow-up care. This one-year pilot program is spearheaded by Dr. Ilana Richman and Dr. Karen Xiao of YSM, in collaboration with the Cornell Scott–Hill Health Center.

The initiative is funded by the Office of Health Equity Research and supported by the Yale Cancer Center. It seeks to innovate methods for making colorectal cancer screening more accessible and tailored to the needs of the local population. The collaboration leverages the established community care structure of Cornell Scott–Hill, combining it with YSM’s research capabilities to evaluate effective interventions.

Innovative Strategies to Increase Screening Rates

The team plans to create a multi-faceted intervention that includes automated reminders via texts and letters for patients, as well as electronic prompts for healthcare providers. They will also implement systematic tracking for patients who are overdue for screenings or follow-up tests. According to Dr. Richman, assistant professor of medicine, “Screening has been shown to reduce the risk of dying of colorectal cancer. But there are still gaps in who gets screened, especially among people receiving care in community health centers. That’s the challenge we’re hoping to address.”

Dr. Xiao emphasizes the initiative’s goal to help patients complete their screenings by utilizing the most effective types of reminders. “We know that life is busy and that patients, especially those served by community health centers, face multiple challenges in completing these tests,” she says. “We hope that the right motivator at the right time will help lower these barriers.”

To identify the most effective outreach methods, the team will evaluate various communication strategies, ranging from basic health reminders to messages that highlight community support and personal motivation. “Different people are motivated by different things,” Richman explains. “Some respond to positive messages about improving health, while others may connect with personal stories or social encouragement. We want to know what resonates most with our patients.”

Community Engagement and Long-Term Goals

Community involvement is central to the initiative’s success. A patient advisory panel will review communication materials to ensure clarity and respectfulness. “It’s easy to send out a message that’s impersonal or, worse, confusing,” Richman states. “We want messages that are appealing for the right reasons and help people understand why screening is important.”

This collaboration reflects a longstanding relationship between YSM and Cornell Scott–Hill Health Center, with shared clinical sites and resident training. Richman notes, “It’s a partnership that allows us to build on each other’s strengths.” Both Richman and Xiao express hope that the low-cost interventions developed during this pilot could be replicated by other community healthcare centers if proven effective.

“The big-picture goal is to improve health by preventing disease,” Richman adds. “But it’s also about establishing the infrastructure and relationships we need to continue this essential work in our own community.”

The Department of Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine is recognized as one of the premier departments in the nation, drawing together esteemed clinicians, researchers, and educators. This initiative represents a crucial step toward enhancing health equity and improving outcomes for patients in New Haven.