Photo: huffpost
A not so recent campaign against cancer laid out what intervals were optimal for invasive diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopy. The interval in people without any history was ten years.
However in those people who were deemed at risk or had a prior history of some sort of intestinal growth or issue, the procedure was advised to be repeated much more frequently.
Some say too frequently.
ln the crosshairs of this new discussion is the ability of the Medicare/Medicaid program to pay for such frequent tests. However, before someone yells foul, the new warning does pose some interesting questions.
What appears to be at work here is either overzealousness on the part of the physicians, or even in some cases resorting to invasive techniques because they amount to surgical procedures and can be very lucrative.
But colonoscopies are some of the most invasive procedures, with some significant complications. It does comport some risks, including bleeding, perforation and infection from unsanitary instruments.
According to the new study, as many as 25% of all colonoscopies might be unnecessary. In people older than 75 as many as 40% of the procedures might be inapprpriate if not unnecessary.
And they are also very expensive. Their cost can range between 1,500 and 10,000 depending on the office and whether it is done outside of the hospital.
But the study focused primarily in those individuals who were 70 and older. Colon cancer is one of the slowest growing cancers, with an average of 10 to 20 years from its onset to full development. The rate could also be slower in that age group. So why are these people advised to sometime have colonoscopies every year? In some cases, in the Texas portion of the study, the patient was advised to return after a short interval even after a negative diagnosis of his last colonoscopy.
Source: Bloomberg 3.12.13
However in those people who were deemed at risk or had a prior history of some sort of intestinal growth or issue, the procedure was advised to be repeated much more frequently.
Some say too frequently.
ln the crosshairs of this new discussion is the ability of the Medicare/Medicaid program to pay for such frequent tests. However, before someone yells foul, the new warning does pose some interesting questions.
What appears to be at work here is either overzealousness on the part of the physicians, or even in some cases resorting to invasive techniques because they amount to surgical procedures and can be very lucrative.
But colonoscopies are some of the most invasive procedures, with some significant complications. It does comport some risks, including bleeding, perforation and infection from unsanitary instruments.
According to the new study, as many as 25% of all colonoscopies might be unnecessary. In people older than 75 as many as 40% of the procedures might be inapprpriate if not unnecessary.
And they are also very expensive. Their cost can range between 1,500 and 10,000 depending on the office and whether it is done outside of the hospital.
But the study focused primarily in those individuals who were 70 and older. Colon cancer is one of the slowest growing cancers, with an average of 10 to 20 years from its onset to full development. The rate could also be slower in that age group. So why are these people advised to sometime have colonoscopies every year? In some cases, in the Texas portion of the study, the patient was advised to return after a short interval even after a negative diagnosis of his last colonoscopy.
Source: Bloomberg 3.12.13
No comments:
Post a Comment