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Tracking and Improving Screening for Colorectal Cancer Intervention

2.a-2 Practice Focus Group Guide (Preintervention)

Table of Contents

SATIS-PHI/CRC Preintervention Practice Focus Group Guide

INTRODUCTION

Hello. My name is ______________________ and I am the moderator for today's 30 minute group discussion. My colleague, ______________________, is here to take notes and help the session run smoothly. Our main purpose today is to discuss colorectal cancer screening in your practice.

MODERATOR INFORMATION

[INSERT HERE: INTRODUCE YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WHY YOU ARE CONDUCTING THIS FOCUS GROUP]

As part of our work, we are speaking with physicians, other clinicians, clinical staff, and office staff who were part of our intervention. Your input is important to help us understand how to implement an intervention designed to increase colorectal cancer screening and tracking.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I want to thank you for coming in today to talk with us and for fitting this session into your already busy schedules.

DISCLOSURES

The session is being recorded in audio to make sure our notes accurately reflect our discussion with you. It's not important who says what; I only care what gets said. Does anyone have concerns about taping this session?

Notes will also be taken during the discussion today, but they will not include any identifying information about the group's participants.

INFORMED CONSENT

Your decision to participate is voluntary. Before we begin, I would like to hand out this consent form for you all to sign, if you still would like to participate in our discussion. [Hand out informed consent, and collect after obtaining signatures]

* Are there any questions about your participation?

* If you do not want to participate, please take this time to gather your things and leave the room. We appreciate your interest.

GUIDELINES

A few guidelines before we start:

  1. What you say in this room stays in this room. As I already mentioned, all information discussed today will be held in confidence. So, please feel comfortable in speaking openly and candidly with us.
  2. Please talk one at a time.
  3. Talk in a voice as loud as mine.
  4. Avoid side conversations with your neighbors; but it is okay to "piggy back" on comments others have made. Just be sure to talk loud enough so the whole group can participate.
  5. Make sure everyone has a chance to talk.
  6. There is no one point of view, so please allow all points of view to be heard.
  7. Say what you believe. It doesn't matter whether anyone agrees with you.
QUESTIONS

Are there any other questions before we begin?

SELF-INTRODUCTIONS

Before we begin, does everyone know each other? [If not, have participants introduce themselves with first names only]

QUESTIONS
Theme 1: Understanding Current Guidelines
  1. What guidelines for colorectal cancer screening do you follow?
  2. What guidelines for colorectal cancer screening followup do you use?
  3. How do you keep up to date with changes to the guidelines?
  4. Are you familiar with the recent update of the guidelines?
    • If so, can you describe the new guidelines?
  5. How do you manage conflicting or confusing statements between the guidelines?
Theme 2: Patient Awareness
  1. How aware do your patients seem to be regarding colorectal cancer screening?
    • What does this vary with (e.g., age, gender, culture)?
  3. Do you think your patients are aware of the 2008 ACS/U.S. Multi-Society Task Force/ACR and USPSTF Screening Guidelines?
  4. How do your patients get information about colorectal cancer screening?
Theme 3: Screening Activities
  1. To whom do you recommend colorectal cancer screening?
  2. To whom do you recommend colorectal cancer screening followup?
  3. How much time do you spend making the recommendations?
  4. Do you offer the patient a range of acceptable screening choices?
  5. What percentage of patients agree to be screened?
  6. If your patients have an initial positive colorectal cancer screen, what percentage of patients agree to receive appropriate colorectal cancer screening followup?
  7. What are the barriers that prevent you from making a recommendation?
  8. What are the barriers to patient acceptance?
  9. What are the facilitators to patient acceptance?
  10. Do you think this practice's current colorectal cancer screening process has an economic impact on the practice?
    • Describe to me how you think it economically affects the practice.
      • What do you think are some positive effects?
      • What do you think are some negative effects?
  11. Do you think this practice's current colorectal cancer screening process has an impact on the practice's reputation?
    • Describe to me how you think it affects the practice's reputation.
      • What do you think are some positive effects?
      • What do you think are some negative effects?
Theme 4: Process Improvement
  1. What would help improve the way colorectal cancer screening is made available to your patients?
  2. How could tracking of patient screening be improved?
  3. How could tracking of CRC followup be improved?

Return to Document

Publication:
AHRQ 11-0016

Page last reviewed April 2018
Page originally created September 2012

Internet Citation: 2.a-2 Practice Focus Group Guide (Preintervention). Content last reviewed April 2018. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/final-reports/crctoolkit/crctool2a2.html

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