RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Alerts in electronic medical records to promote a colorectal cancer screening programme: a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care JF British Journal of General Practice JO Br J Gen Pract FD British Journal of General Practice SP e483 OP e490 DO 10.3399/bjgp16X685657 VO 66 IS 648 A1 Carolina Guiriguet A1 Laura Muñoz-Ortiz A1 Andrea Burón A1 Irene Rivero A1 Jaume Grau A1 Carmen Vela-Vallespín A1 Mercedes Vilarrubí A1 Miquel Torres A1 Cristina Hernández A1 Leonardo Méndez-Boo A1 Pere Toràn A1 Llorenç Caballeria A1 Francesc Macià A1 Antoni Castells YR 2016 UL http://bjgp.org/content/66/648/e483.abstract AB Background Participation rates in colorectal cancer screening are below recommended European targets.Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of an alert in primary care electronic medical records (EMRs) to increase individuals’ participation in an organised, population-based colorectal cancer screening programme when compared with usual care.Design and setting Cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care centres of Barcelona, Spain.Method Participants were males and females aged 50–69 years, who were invited to the first round of a screening programme based on the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) (n = 41 042), and their primary care professional. The randomisation unit was the physician cluster (n = 130) and patients were blinded to the study group. The control group followed usual care as per the colorectal cancer screening programme. In the intervention group, as well as usual care, an alert to health professionals (cluster level) to promote screening was introduced in the individual’s primary care EMR for 1 year. The main outcome was colorectal cancer screening participation at individual participant level.Results In total, 67 physicians and 21 619 patients (intervention group) and 63 physicians and 19 423 patients (control group) were randomised. In the intention-to-treat analysis screening participation was 44.1% and 42.2% respectively (odds ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.97 to 1.20, P = 0.146). However, in the per-protocol analysis screening uptake in the intervention group showed a statistically significant increase, after adjusting for potential confounders (OR, 1.11; 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.22; P = 0.018).Conclusion The use of an alert in an individual’s primary care EMR is associated with a statistically significant increased uptake of an organised, FIT-based colorectal cancer screening programme in patients attending primary care centres.