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Although the demand for screening colonoscopy has increased during recent years, colonoscopy rates remain low in some populations. In particular, urban hospitals that largely serve minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations tend to have higher rates of no-shows and of inadequate bowel preparation — factors that result in poor patient outcomes and that waste clinical and administrative resources. Two new studies address such issues.
A retrospective review of endoscopy laboratory scheduling at a large safety-net healthcare system in Denver revealed a 42% no-show rate among the 817 patients who were scheduled for outpatient colonoscopy from January through June 2006. No-show rates did not differ by procedure indication (diagnostic…