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Carmen E. Guerra MD, MSCE, Michael L. Kochman, MD, FACP,  Alicia Lamanna, Medical Assistant and patient liaison for the program and Josh Ramos,  a Penn junior who was awarded a grant to work on the navigation project.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Although studies prove that screening reduces colorectal cancer morbidity and mortality and is recommended for everyone over the age of 50, only 60 percent of Americans have been screened.

Penn Medicine’s West Philadelphia GI Health Outreach and Access Program is working to improve the colorectal cancer screening rates in the West Philadelphia community. 

The program provides education about colorectal cancer screening and physical navigation through the screening process for people who live in the following zip codes:

• 19104
• 19131
• 19139
• 19143
• 19151

Patient navigator, Alicia Lamanna, works with patients on a one-on-one basis and addresses barriers that might prevent them from getting a screening test. She also ensures patients understand the information by using language that is easy to comprehend.

Assisting patients every step of the way

The patient navigation program is committed to providing every patient the assistance and encouragement they need throughout the entire screening process.

The program provides the following:

• Help with scheduling a colonoscopy.
• Education about the screening including literature, instructions for the screening preparation and motivational information.
• Encouragement and support.
• Reminder phone calls about the screening appointment.
• Instructions for the day of screening.
• Transportation assistance.
• Accompaniment to and from the screening exam. 

With financial support from the American Cancer Society and the Walmart Foundation, the program provides Miralax-Crystal Light bowel prep at no cost for patients who are unable to afford the cost of the prep, along with round-trip Septa tokens for the patient and companion to help them get to and from the procedure. 

Finally, one week after the procedure, Alicia, communicates the physician's findings and recommendations both verbally and in writing to everyone who participates in the screening.

To qualify for the program patients must:

• Be between the ages of 50 and 75
• Live in one of the five participating West Philadelphia zip codes
• Have an order or prescription for a colonoscopy from your Penn primary care physician

Whether the reasons are financial, insurance or personal  — such as being embarrassed or nervous — that keep someone from getting a colorectal screening, the outreach program provides the assistance needed to obtain this life-saving screening. 

To learn more about the program, please call the patient navigation office at 215-439-8281 or email Alicia Lamanna at Alicia.lamanna@upenn.uphs.edu.