The Alberta Primary Care Endoscopy (APC-Endo) Study — APC-Endo  

Endoscopy Clinical Trial

Official title: Prospective Study of the Quality of Colonoscopies Performed by Primary Care Endoscopists in Alberta, Canada

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

It is hypothesized that primary care colonoscopists are able to achieve benchmarks in colonoscopy quality including cecal intubation and adenoma detection rates and serious adverse event rates.

This prospective study is the first in depth analysis of the quality of colonoscopic procedures performed by primary care physicians at a provincial level in Canada.

In addition, the APC Endo study is the first to directly examine both the quality of colonoscopy and patient satisfaction in the same study.

Clinical Trial Description

Discrepant data exists about the quality of colonoscopies performed by family physicians and general internists. Currently in Canada, gastroenterologists and general surgeons perform 97% of the colonoscopies, but excessive wait times highlight a shortage of colonoscopists in Canada. This shortage will invariably worsen as our population ages and more Canadians become screened for colorectal cancer.

One method of improving this relative shortage of colonoscopists is through training primary care physicians in GI medicine and endoscopy. In order these physicians to be a legitimate option in the provision of colonoscopies; however, it must be shown that, as a group, they are able to meet benchmarks in colonoscopy competency.

This multi-centre observational study will be the first study to prospectively analyze colonoscopic examinations performed by primary care physicians at a provincial level. Using primarily cecal intubation rates and adenoma detection rates, along with other quality parameters, this study will compare the results of Alberta primary care physicians to standard benchmarks in colonoscopy competency.

Data will be collected using case report forms completed at the time of the colonoscopy, reviewing the patients' colonoscopy pathology results and a post procedure telephone survey to examine patient satisfaction rates.

If this study demonstrates that quality benchmarks are indeed met, then future training of primary care physicians in gastrointestinal medicine and endoscopy would be encouraged to help address current and future colonoscopist shortages. ;

Study Design

Observational Model: Cohort, Time Perspective: Prospective

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Colon Disease
• Colonic Diseases
• Endoscopy
• Screening Test

• NCT number: NCT01320826
• Study type: Observational
• Source: University of Alberta
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 2010
• Completion date: October 2010