Improve early detection, intervention, and outcomes for people with chronic diseases, specifically cancer screening

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Cancer screening is an important component of preventative care and a focus for many Ontario Health Teams (OHTs). According to statistics gathered by Ontario Health, almost 1 million fewer cervical cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer screenings were conducted between March and December of 2020 than were carried out through the same period in 2019.

Key Resources

If you have any questions or require guidance when designing and implementing cancer screening initiatives, please engage with your Regional Cancer Screening Program. For contact information, please see the OHT Regional Contact List.

Engage your Regional Cancer Program for support with cancer screening, and sign up for the Provincial Primary Care and Cancer Network newsletter for regular cancer screening updates. Contact PrimaryCareInquiries@OntarioHealth.ca for more information.

Change Ideas

Redesign your system and leverage digital health solutions

Map your local processes with provincial pathway maps to build best practices for the management of patients
Cervical Cancer Prevention and Screening Pathway Map
Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Pathway Map
Colorectal Cancer Screening Pathway Map
For attached patients, develop electronic medical report (EMR) reminder systems like Ocean to track and contact patients due for cancer screening using reports such as the MyPractice Primary Care Plus report (with Screening Activity Report data). Consider patient preference such as language and method of communication (e.g., email, text, and phone). Add health promotion messages in reminders. Integrate with online appointment booking systems

Education and training

Review Guidelines and Advice: Screening Resources for Healthcare Providers with providers to decrease variation in practice

Engage patients

Provide patients with information about cancer screening. Integrate health promotion into reminder systems and scheduled visits
For more information on screening, link patients to My CancerIQ and Get Checked for Cancer
For more information on cervical screening, link patients to Cervical Screening and the Ontario Cervical Screening Program
For more information on breast screening, link patients to Screening for Breast Cancer
For more information on colorectal screening, link patients to Screening for Colorectal Cancer and ColonCancerCheck
For patients without a primary care provider (unattached), prepare materials at points of entry into the system for self-referrals
Health811 (call 811 [TTY: 1-866-797-0007] or use the live chat on the Health811 website) to access the free ColonCancerCheck fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit to screen for colon cancer or to find a clinic that does cervical screening
Ontario Breast Screening Program Locations (patients can self-refer)
For Indigenous-led health centres, link patients to the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario