Remotely delivered digital tool to boost colorectal cancer screening in rural clinics
Official title: Evaluating a remotely delivered, digital health CRC screening intervention among rural patients of a community health center
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11399970 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A digital health helper called mPATH-Cloud is tested with rural community clinics to increase stomach/colorectal cancer screening that follows guidelines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $559,832 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA273331-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399970 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults at rural FQHCs who are eligible for colorectal cancer screening and comfortable using digital health tools.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have access to digital devices or who prefer non-digital screening approaches may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a remote, patient-forward digital platform in rural federally qualified health centers to improve colorectal cancer screening. It uses an embedded randomized trial plus mixed methods to refine messaging and reduce the burden on clinical teams. The goal is to show more patients complete recommended screening and to map which implementation steps matter most for future spread. The study focuses on patients’ experiences, preferences, and barriers to getting screened using the mPATH-Cloud system.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, rural patients could receive more timely and guideline-concordant colorectal cancer screening with less burden on clinics.
How similar studies have gone: Previous digital health approaches have shown promise in improving screening rates, but this study tests scalability in rural FQHCs.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Frerichs, Leah M. — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Frerichs, Leah M.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.