Endoscopist specialty is associated with high-quality endoscopy in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was aimed to determine whether endoscopist specialty is associated with high-quality endoscopy.


METHODS
We prospectively collected endoscopy quality related data based on the Endoscopy Quality Rating Scale (EQRS) of 277 endoscopy units in a hospital setting from the National Cancer Screening Program of Korea in 2009. Gastroenterology medical professors (n=154) from university hospitals visited each endoscopy unit and graded the unit according to the EQRS. The scores from the EQRS were analyzed and compared in relation to endoscopy training during residency and endoscopy subspecialist certification.


RESULTS
After excluding data from 3 endoscopy units, EQRS data from 274 endoscopy units were analyzed: 263 esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) screening units and 90 colonoscopy screening units. There were no significant differences in the scores of EQRS with respect to endoscopy training during residency (p=no significance), except for scores of EGDs for "Facility and Equipment" (p=0.030). However, EQRS scores were significantly higher in the endoscopy units where endoscopy subspecialists performed the endoscopies than those where Endoscopy Subspecialists did not perform the endoscopies (p<0.05, except p=0.08 for the "Process" criteria of EGD).


CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopist specialty is an important determinant of high-quality endoscopy in Korea.
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Jae Myung
JM
Cha
Dong Soo
DS
Han
Hang Lack
HL
Lee
Young Ho
YH
Kim
Il-Kwun
IK
Chung
Hyun Soo
HS
Kim
Jeong Seop
JS
Moon
Yu Kyung
YK
Cho
D004724:Endoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008511:Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*