Township, Pa., typically perform approximately 5,000 colonoscopies
each year. During the height of the pandemic, when elective proce-
dures were put on hold and only colonoscopies that met the strict def-
inition of emergent were being done, the facility saw an 80% to 90%
reduction in their normal screening volume.
"We would run three rooms, three days a week and then two rooms,
two days a week," says Frank Kim, MD, a gastroenterology specialist
at the center. "During the worst of it, we were scheduling cases on
only one morning."
Thankfully, the center's case volumes are nearly back to where they
were before the coronavirus outbreak. But the entire patient schedul-
ing and procedural process is far different than it was pre-pandemic.
Let's look at everything you're likely to encounter as you get your
colonoscopy service
line back to a stable,
consistent level.
• Convince reluc-
tant patients.
Colonoscopy screen-
ings are potentially
life-saving proce-
dures, but they're still
considered preventa-
tive care and ulti-
mately elective. Many
patients, especially
older individuals with
pre-existing condi-
tions, are willing to
wait until there's less
8 0 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 2 0
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