The Future of the Private Gastroenterology Practice.

The future private gastroenterology practice will be a large multidisciplinary practice including a clinic, AEC, pathology services, infusion services, anesthesia services, pharmacy services, and imaging centers. Delivery of gastrointestinal (GI) services will be a team-based clinic with AEC access and improved quality of care. Competing technologies will drive practices to promote the value of colonoscopy as the best screening test for colon cancer.

Sedation in the Ambulatory Endoscopy Center: Optimizing Safety, Expectations and Throughput.

In the United States, sedation and analgesia are the standard of practice when endoscopic procedures are performed in the ambulatory endoscopy center. Over the last 30 years, there has been a dramatic shift of endoscopic procedures from the hospital outpatient department to ambulatory endoscopy centers. This article will discuss sedation and analgesia in the ambulatory endoscopy center as it relates to optimizing safety, patient expectations, and efficiency.

The influence of timing of colonoscopy on adenoma detection: is timing everything?

Colorectal cancer is a common disease in the United States. The majority of sporadic colorectal cancers develop from adenomatous polyps. In the United States, the incidence of colorectal cancer is declining, most likely because of colonoscopic polypectomy.

Effect of a time-dependent colonoscopic withdrawal protocol on adenoma detection during screening colonoscopy.

Background & Aims: Screening colonoscopy can prevent cancer by removal of adenomatous polyps. Recent evidence suggests that insufficient time for inspection during overly rapid colonoscope withdrawal may compromise adenoma detection. We conducted a study of the effect of a minimum prespecified time for instrument withdrawal and careful inspection on adenoma detection rates during screening colonoscopy.

Colonoscopic withdrawal times and adenoma detection during screening colonoscopy.

Background: Colonoscopy is commonly used to screen for neoplasia. To assess the performance of screening colonoscopy in everyday practice, we conducted a study of the rates of detection of adenomas and the amount of time taken to withdraw the colonoscope among endoscopists in a large community-based practice.

Methods: During a 15-month period, 12 experienced gastroenterologists performed 7882 colonoscopies, of which 2053 were screening examinations in subjects who had not previously undergone colonoscopy.

Sedation and analgesia.

In the United States sedation and analgesia is the standard of practice when performing upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. Many of these endoscopic procedures are performed in ambulatory endoscopy centers, including ambulatory surgery centers. This article reviews new Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations standards for sedation and analgesia, drugs used for sedation and analgesia (including side effects), patient assessment and monitoring (before, during, and postprocedure), and discharge of patients from the ambulatory endoscopy center.