Grant: Planning Grants

The proposed meeting will bring together Canadian patients as well as physicians, researchers and knowledge users in the fields of gastroenterology, surgery, family medicine, epidemiology, knowledge exchange and decision-making. The meeting will take place in Montreal, Canada. The theme will be planning activities to increase our understanding of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in Canada in order to develop an electronic interface that can meet the needs of stakeholders. Adherence to CRC screening guidelines is very low. Although computerized endoscopy reports have been implemented in our hospitals, the information technology framework could be improved to facilitate the uptake, evaluation and impact of CRC screening guidelines. We wish to stimulate discussion aimed at understanding the challenges of implementing CRC screening guidelines and how information technology could be used to build a framework that meets the needs of stakeholders. The meeting aims to develop an implementable and evaluable user-friendly, computerized colonoscopy data collection and dissemination tool, which will, ultimately, contribute to 'a more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system'. Results of this meeting will be communicated to professional societies, members of a National Consensus panel on digestive endoscopy and Canadian endoscopy units, so that findings may be used to lay the groundwork for the development of high quality endoscopy services and successful CRC screening programs. Diversity of opinions from participants from across the country will ensure generalizability of our findings to all Canadian provinces.