C
olorectal cancer doesn't discriminate against the
young, so last May the American Cancer Society rec-
ommended that screening for precancerous growths in
the colon begin at age 45 instead of age 50.
"We're getting a lot more phone calls from patients who want to
schedule a colonoscopy," says Julie Carpenter, BSN, RN, a direct
access nurse at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers
Grove, Ill. The hospital has 4 procedure rooms in which they cur-
rently schedule 12 to 13 screenings a day, but several of its GI docs
are considering adding another block schedule to keep up with the
expected uptick in requests for first-time colonoscopies.
Advocate Good Samaritan recently launched the Direct Access
Screening Colonoscopy (DASC) program to fast-track patients who
are in overall good health and at average risk for colon cancer. DASC,
which has the hospital perfectly positioned to capitalize on
colonoscopy volume that's expected to increase in the coming years,
was designed to overcome barriers to screening and eliminate the
flimsy excuses — too busy, too scared and too hesitant to endure the
bowel prepping process (OK, that one has some merit) — patients use
to avoid the potentially life-saving test.
Clinical team members collaborated to create a 2-page triage form,
which helps nurses identify patients with risk factors that exclude
them from the program, including:
• family history of colon cancer
• younger than 45 and older than 75 years
Daniel Cook | Executive Editor
Are You Ready for the Colonoscopy Boom?
New screening recommendations are
expected to increase the demand for first-time colonoscopies.
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