BMJ  2004;329 (18 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7467.0-d

UK targets for colonoscopy are attainable

National targets for colonoscopy can be met by adopting simple measures to improve organisation, preparation of patients, and utilisation of human resources. Ball and colleagues (p 665) audited the results of an endoscopy department in northern England and found that completion rate for colonoscopy (reaching the caecum) was 57%, well below the national target of 90%. They identified the short time available for each colonoscopy, poor bowel preparation, and a mismatch in operators' workload as the possible causes for the low completion rate; by implementing simple corrective measures they managed to improve it to 94%.

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Quality improvement programme to achieve acceptable colonoscopy completion rates: prospective before and after study

Jennifer E Ball, Jane Osbourne, Sarah Jowett, Mike Pellen, and Mark R Welfare
BMJ 2004 329: 665-667. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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