A colorectal cancer patient education event can be a unique way to communicate directly with the patient/consumer audience and can attract media attention to your practice, which will help to further spread the news about the importance of colorectal cancer screening.  You can hold a patient education program about the prevention and screening for colorectal cancer at your practice during the month. Here are some tips:

• Hold the event in the evening on a weeknight.
• Advertise for the event in the hospital, the hospital newsletter, and local newspaper.
• Provide refreshments for attendees.
• Create a presentation that is informative and visually pleasing.
• Give plenty of time for questions and answers.
• Invite the media to attend.
• Provide handouts for the attendees.
• Show videos during the event. Consider having a monitor up with videos running on a loop.
• Follow up with those who attended by sending an appointment reminder card, your business card or a thank you note. 

Handouts for Attendees

• Colorectal Cancer: Myths and Realities
• The Basic Facts About Colorectal Cancer
• Are You at Increased Risk for Colorectal Cancer?
• Frequently Asked Questions About Colorectal Cancer
• Six Steps to Lower Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer

ASCRS Videos that focus on colorectal cancer or screening:

• Colon Cancer
• Colonoscopy
• Hereditary Colon Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer Myths vs. Reality
• Screening