Patients find the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) more convenient to use than the previous guaiac based tests: you collect one stool sample, perform one sampling process, and then the test can be either posted back to the laboratory, or returned to the GP’s office for onward transport to the testing laboratory. However, by providing the sampling device to the patients, it is important to ensure the patient can understand what is required of the test, and that they can collect a good quality sample and return it correctly. Alpha Laboratories can help with this.
Whether you are using FIT to assess patients in a screening programme, or investigating symptomatic patients, the entire start-to-finish process requires specialist consideration. With many years’ experience in the development and implementation of both symptomatic and screening programmes, Alpha Laboratories can help design your bespoke service to ensure your patients receive the tools they need to provide the laboratory good quality samples. We can provide a range of products to help you develop your programme, tailored to your specific requirements. From faecal collection devices, patient instructions to logistics, our Bowel Cancer Specialists are on hand to help you create the ideal solution to support your patient pathway.
Alpha Laboratories is able to create specific FIT instructions for use (IFU) tailored to your testing service. A localised design can better reach your range of demographics, simplify returns and improve uptake of the test. Customising your IFU will ensure you engage with your target audience more effectively, leading to an increased participation rate and less waste.
Depending on where your samples are being sent (GP practice, testing lab, central processing hub) you may require an innovative packaging solution. Whether your patient samples are sent via the postal service, dropped off at a local GP or clinic, or sent to a main hospital, we can provide a range of solutions to make it simpler for all parties involved.
The key to a successful screening or symptomatic service is patient participation. By making the sampling process straight-forward and easy to understand, the patient is more likely to complete the test. The test is designed to help prevent unnecessary colonoscopy procedures, the negative predictive value of FIT (100%, NICE DG30, 2017) can reduce the number of procedures which yield no pathology, representing a huge benefit to the patient and the healthcare system.
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