Elsevier, Gastroenterology Clinics of North America, 3(42), p. 599-618
DOI: 10.1016/j.gtc.2013.05.005
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Colonoscopy is an excellent area for quality improvement 1 because it is high volume, has significant associated risk and expense, and there is evidence that variability in its performance affects outcomes. The best endpoint for validation of quality metrics in colonoscopy is colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, but because of feasibility issues, a more readily accessible metric is the adenoma detection rate (ADR). Fourteen quality metrics were proposed by the joint American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy/American College of Gastroenterology Task Force on “Quality Indicators for Colonoscopy” in 2006, which are described in further detail below. Use of electronic health records and quality-oriented registries will facilitate quality measurement and reporting. Unlike traditional clinical research, implementation of quality improvement initiatives involves rapid assessments and changes on an iterative basis, and can be done at the individual, group, or facility level.