Standardized colonoscopy reporting and data system: report of the Quality Assurance Task Group of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable.
BACKGROUND
Standardized reporting systems for diagnostic and screening tests facilitate quality improvement programs and clear communication among health care providers. Although colonoscopy is commonly used for screening, diagnosis, and therapy, no standardized reporting system for this procedure currently exists. The Quality Assurance Task Group of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable developed a reporting and data system for colonoscopy based on continuous quality improvement indicators.


METHODS
The Task Group systematically reviewed quality indicators recommended by the Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer and developed consensus-based terminology for reporting and data systems to capture these data elements. The Task Group included experts in several disciplines: gastroenterology, primary care, diagnostic imaging, and health care delivery.


CONCLUSIONS
The standardized colonoscopy reporting and data system provides a tool that can be used for efforts in continuous quality improvement within and across practices that use colonoscopy.
Lieberman
David
D
Division of Gastroenterology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
Nadel
Marion
M
Smith
Robert A
RA
Atkin
Wendy
W
Duggirala
Subash B
SB
Fletcher
Robert
R
Glick
Seth N
SN
Johnson
C Daniel
CD
Levin
Theodore R
TR
Pope
John B
JB
Potter
Michael B
MB
Ransohoff
David
D
Rex
Douglas
D
Schoen
Robert
R
Schroy
Paul
P
Winawer
Sidney
S
D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care