Colorectal Cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Despite established United States Preventive Services Task Force guidelines that emphasize CRC screening, significant gaps persist in primary care populations.
To identify and address these screening gaps, Kirti Shanker, MD, FAAFP, a board-certified family physician at The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center in Upper Arlington, OH, and an assistant clinical professor of family and community medicine at The OSU College of Medicine, is implementing a quality improvement (QI) initiative in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team and OSU medical students.
When reflecting on her research and implementation process, Dr. Shanker noted that the institutional review was far more extensive than anticipated. “Although this process was demanding, the culmination of each step was profoundly gratifying for myself and my students. Seeing the project approved and operational provided a strong sense of professional satisfaction, particularly as it created meaningful learning experiences for both students and the team.”
At its core, the project is centered on how the research team can leverage health information technology to conduct both an educational, clinical experience for medical students, as well as a quality-based population health initiative to improve CRC screening rates and patient health outcomes.
“Collaborating with medical students from OSU has been exceptionally positive—they bring curiosity, enthusiasm, and a genuine commitment to clinical experience, and help to improve patient outcomes,” explained Dr. Shanker. “Their willingness to learn and engage in real-time problem-solving strengthened the project every step of the way.”
The QI report is available to read online, outlining the multiphase design and preliminary results.
“I hope this research demonstrates a practical and scalable model for improving CRC screening that can be replicated across other QI domains,” said Dr. Shanker. “By integrating health information technology, structured population health workflows, and meaningful engagement of medical students, this approach illustrates how data driven approaches can produce measurable improvements.”
Dr. Shanker earned her medical degree from the Gandhi Medical College in Secunderabad, India, and completed residency at the OhioHealth Grant Family Medicine Residency Program in 2010.
When Dr. Shanker is not working, she enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and spending time with family.