SCREENING FOR COLORECTAL NEOPLASIA - PHYSICIANS ADHERENCE TO COMPLETEDIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION

This prospective study was done in a health maintenance organization c olorectal cancer screening program to determine whether 166 persons fo und to have abnormal fecal occult blood test results typically underwe nt complete diagnostic evaluation (i.e., either colonoscopy or barium enema x-ray plus flexible sigmoidoscopy). Chart audit data show that 1 37 (82%) subjects contacted a physician to discuss follow-up. A comple te diagnostic evaluation was recommended to only 52 (38%) patients who talked with a physician. Forty-two (81%) patients who were advised to get a complete diagnostic evaluation actually complied. Significant d ifferences in clinical findings were observed for patients who did and did not have a complete diagnostic evaluation.