ACS Offers Colorectal Cancer Patient Education Resources

Backed by guidelines and evidence-based recommendations, the ACS colorectal cancer series educates patients about common procedures and skills training for complex home care. Procedure brochures specific to colonoscopy and colectomy inform patients and their families about surgery, including treatment options, procedure descriptions, preparation, pain control, discharge, and recovery. 

The Ostomy Home Skills Training Program provides step-by-step instruction and hands-on training (measuring and cutting a pouch, emptying and changing a pouch and so on), resulting in a significant increase in patient/caregiver confidence, and a 50% reduction in readmission rates and use of additional services such as unplanned visits and calls.  Each skills kit contains practice equipment (pouch, scissors, stoma model, measurement guide, surgical marker), video with skill demonstration, instruction booklet with images, self-assessment checklist, and references for additional support. For more information, contact the ACS Patient Education team at SurgicalPatientEducation@facs.org.