The Alberta Primary Care Endoscopy (APC-Endo) Study

NCT ID: NCT01320826

Last Updated: 2012-08-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 577 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2010-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2010-10-31

Brief 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.

Detailed 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.

Conditions

Screening Test; Endoscopy; Colon Disease

Keywords

colonoscopy; primary care physicians; quality assurance

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Physician colonoscopists

All primary care physicians (family physicians and general internists) who perform colonoscopies were approached to voluntarily participate in the APC-Endo study.

All patients having a colonoscopy done by an APC-Endo study physician endoscopist were approached at the time of their endoscopy to consent to the post procedure telephone survey.

colonoscopy

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Data pertaining to all colonoscopies performed by a APC-Endo study physician over a two month period will be collected.

Interventions

colonoscopy

Data pertaining to all colonoscopies performed by a APC-Endo study physician over a two month period will be collected.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• All patients having a colonoscopy done by an APC-Endo physician endoscopist during the study period will be approached at the time of their endoscopy to consent to the post procedure telephone.

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients under the age of 18 years old
• Patients who will be unable to be contacted for the post procedure telephone survey. (e.g., moving out of the country in the following month)
• Patients who are unable to understand or speak basic English
• Patients who are cognitively impaired such that they were not able to complete the initial consent for their colonoscopy

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Alberta Ministry of Health - Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Alberta

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Brian Rowe

Associate Dean (Clinical Research), Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Canada Research Chair in Emergency Airway Diseases Professor and Research Director Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Michael R Kolber, MD, CCFP

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Alberta

Brian H Rowe, MD, CCFP(EM)

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Alberta

Locations

Barrhead Healthcare Centre

Barrhead, Alberta, Canada

Bonnyville Healthcare Centre

Bonnyville, Alberta, Canada

St. Mary's Hospital

Camrose, Alberta, Canada

Daysland Health Centre

Daysland, Alberta, Canada

Queen Elizabeth 2 Hospital

Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada

William J. Cadzow Health Centre

Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada

Sacred Heart Hospital

McLennan, Alberta, Canada

Peace River Community Health Centre

Peace River, Alberta, Canada

Pincher Creek Hospital

Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada

Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre

Ponoka, Alberta, Canada

Sturgeon Community Hospital

St. Albert, Alberta, Canada

Taber Hospital

Taber, Alberta, Canada

Whitecourt Healthcare Centre

Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

2011-APCEndo-MK

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id