An exploratory analysis of healthcare costs and utilization of pediatric patients with Crohn's disease.

Objective: To evaluate the healthcare costs and resource utilization associated with pediatric Crohn's disease (PCD) from a payer perspective.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using claims from 1 January 2003 through 31 December 2006 from the HealthCare Partners database. Patients were younger than 18 years of age, had a new diagnosis of PCD, and continuous health plan eligibility 6 months before and 12 months after the disease index date (the date of the first claim with a PCD diagnosis).

Assessing endoscopic colorectal screening adherence in an emergency department population.

Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) has the second highest cancer-related mortality rate in the United States. However, CRC screening rates, particularly by endoscopy, are dismally low. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors associated with adherence to endoscopic screening using the emergency department (ED) population.