Improving bowel preparation for colonoscopy in a cost effective manner.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopy
• Colorectal Cancer Screening

Background:

• Colonoscopy is crucial for diagnosing large bowel diseases and colorectal cancer (CRC) surveillance.
• Inadequate bowel preparation (bowel prep) significantly compromises colonoscopy's diagnostic yield.
• Current bowel prep formulations vary based on patient factors and clinical indications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of enhanced patient instructions and pre-assessment on bowel preparation quality.
• To assess the effectiveness of implementing changes in bowel prep products and delivery methods.
• To quantify improvements in colonoscopy outcomes and potential cost savings.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of colonoscopy outcomes and bowel prep quality over three months.
• Implementation of revised patient instructions and pre-procedure bowel prep assessment.
• Repeated measurements across three cycles to compare outcomes before and after interventions.

Main Results:

• Bowel preparation quality improved from 80% to 93% with enhanced written patient advice.
• The interventions led to better assessment quality and a reduction in repeat colonoscopies.
• Estimated annual savings of approximately £150,000 for the trust were identified.

Conclusions:

• Clear, written patient instructions are vital for optimizing bowel preparation quality in colonoscopy.
• Strategic changes in bowel prep products and delivery can enhance procedural success and yield significant cost reductions.
• This quality improvement initiative demonstrates a cost-effective approach to improving colonoscopy services.